WOMEN AND EQUALITY

Equality

Jo Swinson: To ask the Minister for Women what consideration the Government gave to inclusion of matters relating to gender identity or gender expression in its definition of equality.

Barbara Follett: I refer the hon. Member to my written answer of 18 October 2007,  Official Report, column 1236W, which stated that the Government's vision of an equal society is one where there is opportunity for all and responsibility from all.

WALES

Comprehensive Spending Review

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales pursuant to the oral answers of 21 November 2007,  Official Report, columns 1172-77, on the comprehensive spending review and legislative competence, if he will place in the Library copies of the correspondence and paperwork exchanged with National Assembly for Wales Ministers which set out the specific instances and road schemes in Wales affected by clause 109 of the Local Transport Bill.

Peter Hain: There has been no exchange of such correspondence between Ministers.

Departmental Data Protection

David Gauke: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many of his Department's  (a) computers and  (b) laptops have been stolen in 2007; and what the value of those items was.

Peter Hain: None.

Departmental ICT

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which manufacturers' software is used in his Department.

Peter Hain: The Wales Office does not record which manufacturers' software is used as all software currently used within the Wales Office is provided by the Ministry of Justice.

Departmental Pay

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people in his Department and its predecessors were paid over £100,000 in each year since 1997.

Peter Hain: None.

Departmental Publicity

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much his Department and its agencies spent on staff working on  (a) marketing and  (b) branding in the last 12 month period for which figures are available.

Peter Hain: None.

Departmental Publicity

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much has been spent by his Department on advertising in the last 12 months.

Peter Hain: Nil.

Official Engagements: NAW Deputy First Minister

David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how frequently he meets the Deputy First Minister of Wales; and on how many occasions he has done so since the conclusion of the All Wales Accord.

Peter Hain: I have met the Deputy First Minister of Wales on several occasions since that date.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Departmental Flexible Working

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many staff  (a) have applied to work flexible hours and  (b) work flexible hours (i) in his Department and (ii) the executive agencies for which the Department is responsible.

Paul Goggins: Within the Northern Ireland Office staff are expected to work conditioned hours, however there is a considerable amount of flexibility in the way staff are permitted to work. Flexible working time (that is, a flexible start and finish each day) is available to the majority of staff where operational/business needs permit.
	In line with the Employment (NT) Order 2002 the Northern Ireland Office has processes in place to allow staff to request flexible working hours to enable them to balance their family and employment responsibilities. As decisions are made by the business area concerned the information on the number of staff who have applied to work flexible hours under this order is not collated centrally.
	The following table shows the number of staff within the NIO who currently work reduced hours, job share or term time.
	
		
			   Number 
			 Reduced hours 216 
			 Job share 26 
			 Term time full-time 13 
			 Term time part-time 9 
			 Total number of staff 2,074

Departmental ICT

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which manufacturers' software is used in his Department.

Paul Goggins: The NIO currently uses the following list of manufactures' software.
	SAP
	Oracle
	iB Solutions
	Croma Photobase
	Sopra Newell and Budge
	Computer Associates
	Seagate
	Dataflex
	Adobe
	Symantec
	Microsoft
	Tower
	Livelink
	Kofax
	Netiq
	Citrix
	Commvault
	HP
	Altris
	Websense
	Finjan
	Sophos
	Sandersons
	Real Asset Management plc.
	Fluent Technology Ltd.
	Business Objects

Departmental Manpower

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people aged  (a) 30 to 39,  (b) 40 to 49,  (c) 50 to 59 and  (d) 60 to 69 years have (i) applied for jobs, (ii) received interviews and (iii) gained (A) temporary and (B) permanent jobs in his Department in 2007.

Paul Goggins: In the main, staff are appointed to the Northern Ireland Office following successful application to Northern Ireland Civil Service competitions. Therefore figures relating to the number of staff who (i) applied for jobs or (ii) received interviews are not available. Table 1 shows the number of staff, in the age ranges specified, appointed to the Northern Ireland Office in 2007.
	The Northern Ireland Office did run a recent competition to recruit information technology specialists. While to date no posts have been filled, details of applicants and the number of interviews can be seen in table 2.
	
		
			  Table 1: Number of staff, in the age ranges specified, appointed to the Northern Ireland Office for the year 2007 
			  Age  Temporary staff  Permanent staff  Total 
			 30-39 5 25 30 
			 40-49 5 21 26 
			 50-59 2 8 10 
			 60-69 0 0 0 
			 Total — — 66 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Number of applicants, in the age ranges specified ,  for Information Technology posts in the Northern Ireland Office for the year 2007 
			  Age  Number of applicants  Number of applicants interviewed 
			 30-39 13 9 
			 40-49 5 1 
			 50-59 2 1 
			 60-69 0 0

Departmental Official Hospitality

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what entertainment or hospitality members of his Department's management board have received in each of the last three financial years; and if he will make a statement.

Shaun Woodward: Paragraph 4.3.5 of the Civil Service Management Code sets out the rules on the registration of hospitality. The Government are committed to publishing an annual list of hospitality received by members of departmental boards. The list for 2007 is the first such list and will be published as soon as it is ready after the end of the current calendar year.

Departmental Pay

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people in his Department earned over £100,000 in each year since 1997.

Paul Goggins: The information requested is shown in the following table.
	
		
			   Number of staff receiving £100,000 + 
			 1997 1 
			 1998 1 
			 1999 1 
			 2000 1 
			 2001 2 
			 2002 4 
			 2003 3 
			 2004 3 
			 2005 3 
			 2006 5 
			 2007 6

Departmental Publicity

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many full-time equivalent staff are responsible for brand management and marketing in his Department.

Shaun Woodward: The Northern Ireland Office does not have any full-time equivalent staff responsible for brand management and marketing. However, from time to time, staff in various parts of the office are engaged in related activities, including maintaining and ensuring the application of corporate branding. Therefore a percentage of their time will be periodically devoted to brand management and marketing activities.

Manpower: Government Departments

Charles Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the full-time equivalent headcount in his Department is; what the forecast full-time equivalent headcount for his Department is for  (a) 2008-09 and  (b) 2009-10; and if he will make a statement.

Shaun Woodward: The National Statistics Public Sector employment figures for the second quarter of 2007 show that the NIO had 140 FTE Home Civil Servants in post. In addition to these staff the Department had 1,367 Northern Ireland Civil Servants in post for the same quarter (excluding its agencies and NDPBs).
	The NIO's CSR07 settlement reduced the Department's administration cost budget by 5 per cent. year on year, from 2008-09 through to 2010-11. These administration cost reductions will be re-allocated to front line service delivery areas, and so may not have a direct effect on overall headcount numbers. The Department is currently finalising work to allocate its CSR07 settlement across all spending areas and it will then be in a position to establish headcount figures for the three CSR07 years. This information will be available in advance of the start of the 2008-09 financial year.

Opinion Leader Research

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many contracts were awarded by his Department to Opinion Leader Research in each year since 1997; and what was  (a) the title and purpose,  (b) the cost to the public purse and  (c) the dates of (i) tender, (ii) award, (iii) operation and (iv) completion and report to the Department in each case.

Shaun Woodward: The NIO has awarded no contracts to Opinion Leader Research since 1997.

Police Service of Northern Ireland: Telephone Services

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many calls have been received by the Police Service of Northern Ireland's 0845 600 8000 line; how many  (a) arrests and  (b) convictions have resulted from information received on this line; and how much it has cost to operate this service in the last 12-month period for which figures are available.

Paul Goggins: The number of calls made to the Police Service of Northern Ireland's telephone number for non-emergency calls, 0845 600 8000, in each of the last 12 months is set out in the following table.
	
		
			   Number of calls to 0845 600 8000 
			  2006  
			 November 13,128 
			 December 11,913 
			   
			  2007  
			 January 12,874 
			 February 12,292 
			 March 13,319 
			 April 13,370 
			 May 14,635 
			 June 16,396 
			 July 16,210 
			 August 16,800 
			 September 16,064 
			 October 16,632 
		
	
	As figures are not held on the outcome of the calls, I am not able to supply information on the number of arrests and convictions that have resulted from the use of the line.
	The total cost to the PSNI of operating their non-emergency number, 0845 600 8000, from November 2006 to October 2007 was £2,043.
	This line allows people to access the PSNI quickly in non-emergency situations and helps to reduce the demand placed by inappropriate calls to '999'.

Proscribed Organisations

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent assessment he has made of the security threat posed by Republican dissidents.

Paul Goggins: The latest IMC report assesses that dissident republicans continue to pose a threat. The recent gun attacks on police officers highlight the danger these groups still pose.

BUSINESS, ENTERPRISE AND REGULATORY REFORM

Energy: Summertime

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assessment his Department has made of the likely effect on UK domestic gas and electricity bills of maintaining British Summer Time in winter and introducing double British Summer Time in summer.

Patrick McFadden: We consider that the present situation is a satisfactory compromise between those who prefer lighter mornings and those who prefer lighter evenings and we are not convinced that a change to our wintertime and summertime arrangements would be in the best interests of the UK.
	Portugal experimented with a move to central European time (1992-96) and we understand their Government concluded that there was insignificant energy saving to offset the negative impact of the change and reverted to Greenwich Mean Time.

Nuclear Power

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the evidential basis is for the figure of 7.5 per cent. of Britain's total energy coming from nuclear sources, with reference to the Prime Minister's speech to the Worldwide Fund for Nature forum at the Foreign Press Association on 19 November.

Malcolm Wicks: In terms of energy inputs (i.e. the quantity of fuels used directly or converted into other forms of energy such as electricity or petroleum products) nuclear accounts for 7.5 per cent. of the UK's demand for primary fuels (rounding to the nearest 0.5 per cent.). The figures behind this percentage are as follows. They can be found in this Department's National Statistics publication, "Energy Trends, September 2007", Table 1.2:
	
		
			  Primary fuel input basis equivalent  Million tonnes of oil 
			 Inland consumption of nuclear electricity 17.1 
			 Total inland energy consumption 232.1 
		
	
	In terms of energy consumed, nuclear accounts for 19 per cent. of the electricity generated in the UK and electricity accounts for 18.5 per cent. of the energy used in the UK. Hence nuclear accounts for 3.5 per cent. of the energy used in the UK (19 per cent. of 18.5 per cent.).

Post Offices: Closures

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform whether sub-postmasters whose post offices have been proposed for closure are permitted to speak publicly against that closure without putting their compensation package at risk.

Patrick McFadden: A sub-postmaster is able to respond to the consultation as much as any other member of the public and we would not look to reduce their compensation simply because they do not agree with the decision.

Wind Power

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what proportion of overall energy needs is met by wind power in  (a) Ribble Valley,  (b) Lancashire and  (c) England.

Malcolm Wicks: The Department does not hold statistics for wind power generation in  (a) the Ribble Valley or  (b) at a county level. However, according to the latest statistics published in the Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics, 2007 (DUKES), 1.1 per cent. of the electricity generated in the UK in 2006 was from onshore and offshore wind, up from 0.7 per cent. in 2005. The corresponding percentage for  (c) England is not yet available for 2006, but in 2005 it was 0.2 per cent.
	DUKES can be accessed online at:
	www.berr.gov.uk/energy/statistics/publications/dukes/page 39771.html

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Ministerial Statements

John Randall: To ask the Leader of the House on how many occasions Ministers gave oral statements on the introduction of Government consultation papers in each of the last five years.

Helen Goodman: This information is not held centrally in the form asked for. In the last five calendar years there have been a total of 350 oral statements made to the House.
	
		
			   Number 
			 2003 82 
			 2004 75 
			 2005 55 
			 2006 69 
			 2007 70 
		
	
	The content of these oral statements is available as a matter of public record.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Commonwealth Parliamentary Association: Finance

David Marshall: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what estimate has been made of the monetary value of the accommodation, facilities and services provided to the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association for its headquarters in 7 Millbank in each of the last five years; and what the figure is expected to be in 2007-08.

Nick Harvey: The resource cost of accommodation, facilities and services used by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association for its international secretariat in 7 Millbank is estimated to have been around £150,000 per annum since 2002-03. A similar cost is expected in 2007-08.

Influenza: Vaccination

Shailesh Vara: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission whether doses of the antiviral drug Tamiflu have been purchased by the House authorities for use by their staff in the event of an influenza pandemic.

Nick Harvey: No doses of the antiviral drug Tamiflu have been purchased by the House authorities for use by their staff in the event of an influenza pandemic. There is, however, a project in place to co-ordinate and refresh the House's business continuity and disaster recovery plans. Flu pandemic planning is included in the scenarios that are being considered and arrangements are commensurate with the national framework for responding to an influenza pandemic.

Medical Equipment

Paul Keetch: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission when defibrillators were installed at the Palace of Westminster; how many times they have been used; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Harvey: Defibrillators were installed in the Palace of Westminster in 2000, and introduced in other parliamentary buildings in 2002. They have been used six times to date.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Departmental Standards

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what public service agreement targets were set in the latest Comprehensive Spending Review for  (a) his Department,  (b) its agencies and  (c) non-departmental public bodies for which his Department has responsibility.

James Purnell: Within the new performance framework announced as part of the comprehensive spending review, all public service agreements (PSAs) will be cross-governmental. DCMS will act as lead department for PSA22, to
	"deliver a successful Olympic Games and Paralympic Games with a sustainable legacy and get more children and young people taking part in high-quality PE and school sport".
	In addition, DCMS will contribute to the following PSAs led by other Government Departments:
	Raise the productivity of the UK economy (PSA1)
	Improve the health and well-being of children and young people (PSA12)
	Increase the number of children and young people on the path to success (PSA14)
	Address the disadvantage that individuals experience because of their gender, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, religion or belief (PSA15)
	Increase long-term housing supply and affordability (PSA20)
	Build more cohesive, empowered and active communities (PSA21)
	Copies of the delivery agreements underpinning these PSAs have been placed in the House Library and are available on HM Treasury's website.

Gun Sports: Olympic Games 2012

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when he last had a meeting to discuss the issue of Olympic target pistol shooters; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 26 November 2007
	I have not had a meeting to discuss the issue of Olympic target pistol shooters. This issue is being taken forward by colleagues at the Home Office who have recently secured agreement in principle from the Ministry of Defence on use of their ranges by a small squad of elite pistol shooters. To enable this to take place, the Home Secretary will need to use her powers under section 5 of the Firearms Act 1968 and I understand she has written to the First Minister for Scotland about the proposed arrangements and to establish whether he intends to exercise his powers in respect of Scotland.

Health Insurance

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many officials in  (a) his Department and  (b) each of its agencies have private health insurance provided as part of their employment package.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Neither the Department for Culture, Media and Sport nor our Agency (the Royal Parks) provide private health insurance for employees.
	We provide information on two health care schemes available for civil servants to our employees (Benenden Healthcare and CS Healthcare), which they can join at their own cost.

Legacy Lives Conference

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 13 November 2007,  Official Report, column 106W, on the Legacy Lives conference, what UK Sport's involvement is in the 2008 Legacy Lives conference in Barbados; and at what cost to the public purse.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 26 November 2007
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Vauxhall (Kate Hoey) on 14 November 2007,  Official Report, column 240W.
	UK Sport is an international partner of the Legacy Lives 2008 conference. As the UK agency for World Class Events UK Sport is providing £30,000 to support the 2008 conference.
	Supporting Legacy Lives is part of an ongoing strategy to promote greater knowledge and debate about the legacy benefits that arise from public investment in major sporting events.

Olympic Games 2012

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what financial information is regularly supplied to him by the  (a) London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and  (b) Olympic Delivery Authority and how frequently it is supplied.

Tessa Jowell: I have been asked to reply 
	as Minister for the Olympics.
	The  (a) London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and  (b) Olympic Delivery Authority provide me and the Olympic Board with monthly financial updates of their spend to date against their respective budgets.

TRANSPORT

Aviation: Lee on Solent, Daedalus Airfield

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what steps taken by the management of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency led to the denial of access to Lee on Solent Aerodrome to the local community and general aviation; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what discussions the Maritime and Coastguard Agency has had with  (a) Hampshire Police Authority and  (b) others on the closing of Daedalus airfield to (i) general aviation and (ii) the local community; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The airfield at Daedalus is leased to and operated by the Hampshire Police Authority, which is, as operator, responsible for its safety. As a user of the airfield, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has had regular discussions with Hampshire Police.
	Solicitors acting for the Lee Flying Association recently wrote to a number of parties, including the MCA, threatening to bring judicial review proceedings in respect of the recent decision of, I understand, the Hampshire Police Authority to close the airfield to general aviation due to safety concerns. The Hampshire Police have now suspended that decision for 28 days.
	The Government are currently considering the situation and in the circumstances, it would be inappropriate and premature for me to say any more at this stage.

Aviation: Medical Equipment

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what regulations cover the carrying of defibrillators on civilian passenger airlines flying in and out of UK airports; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: There are no regulations requiring the mandatory carriage of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) although emergency medical kits are required on all long distance flights. Many UK airlines do carry AEDs on a voluntary basis and this information is generally available on their websites.

Cycling

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what discussions she has had with local authorities on measures to encourage cycling since her appointment as Secretary of State for Transport;
	(2)  what meetings she has had with representatives of the cycling community since her appointment as Secretary of State for Transport.

Rosie Winterton: Both Ministers and officials regularly meet with representatives of the cycling community and local authorities to discuss a wide range of issues, including how to encourage cycling.

Departmental Official Hospitality

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what entertainment or hospitality members of her Department's management board have received in each of the last three financial years; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Paragraph 4.3.5 of the Civil Service Management Code sets out the rules on the registration of hospitality. The Government are committed to publishing an annual list of hospitality received by members of departmental boards. The first list for 2007 will be published as soon as it is ready after the end of the current calendar year.

Departmental Orders and Regulations

Alan Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many regulations her Department has  (a) made and  (b) revoked in the last 12 months.

Jim Fitzpatrick: In the 12 months commencing 1 October 2006 the Department for Transport produced 142 general statutory instruments and 1,530 local statutory instruments.
	The number of statutory instruments which were revoked or became spent during this period could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Property

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much has been spent by her Department on renovation and refurbishment of its properties in each of the last five years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The data requested are not in all cases readily distinguishable from other building costs without incurring disproportionate costs. However, the information, where available for the properties occupied by the Department, is as follows:
	
		
			   £ 
			 2006-07 21,251,182 
			 2005-06 19,765,075 
			 2004-05 9,803,969 
			 2003-04 7,773,554 
			 2002-03 7,702,635

Eurostar

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what discussions she has had with Network Rail on the timetable for future use of the former Eurostar platforms at London Waterloo;
	(2)  when she expects South West Trains to begin running the first commuter services from the former Eurostar platforms at London Waterloo; and what timetable she envisages for the use of the remaining platforms.

Tom Harris: Ownership of Waterloo International transfers to the Department at the end of March 2008 following Eurostar's de-commissioning of the facility as an international station. The Department is currently working closely with Network Rail and Stagecoach South West Trains (the train operating company) to finalise the design and costs associated with the partial conversion of Waterloo International to accommodate some domestic passenger services. Works on site are expected to commence soon after the station transfers to the Department and will take several months to complete. Services could then operate into and out of Platform 20 of Waterloo International from the start of the timetable change date in December 2008.
	Options to make use of all five platforms are being assessed by the Department and Network Rail as part of the medium term proposals to deliver the Department's strategy for providing additional capacity as set out in its White Paper on Delivering a Sustainable Railway which was published in July 2007.
	The medium term proposals would require significant infrastructure alterations at Waterloo. Additionally, it would be linked to the procurement of additional rolling stock to lengthen trains. The timescale for implementation is likely to be around 2012-14.

Fixed Penalties: Appeals

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many recorded challenges against penalty charge notices there were in each region in each of the last five years; and how many of these were successful.

Rosie Winterton: The information is not held by the Department.
	Information about the number of appeals against parking penalty charge notices in England and Wales is collected by the National Parking Adjudication Service (NPAS) outside London and by the Parking and Traffic Appeals Service (PATAS) inside London. The information on those websites is not presented by regions.
	The websites are:
	http://www.parking-appeals.gov.uk/about/AnReport.asp
	http://www.parkingandtrafficappeals.gov.uk/annualreports.htm

Fixed Penalties: Appeals

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many recorded challenges against penalty charge notices there were in each local authority area in each of the last five years; and how many of these were successful.

Rosie Winterton: This information is not held by the Department.
	Information on the number of appeals against parking penalty charge notices in England and Wales is collected by the National Parking Adjudication Services (NPAS) outside London and by the Parking and Traffic Appeals Service (PATAS) inside London. The NPAS and PATAS figures are published in their annual reports and can be downloaded from the following website addresses:
	http://www.parking-appeals.gov.uk/about/AnReport.asp.
	http://www.parkingandtrafficappeals.gov.uk/annual reports.htm.

Minibuses: Licensing

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions her Department has had with the Department for Children, Schools and Families on the interpretation of new driving licence regulations for minibus drivers with post-1997 licences; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department has had extensive discussions with the Department for Children, Schools and Families previously the Department for Education and Skills. As a result guidance on the options available for incidental driving of minibuses was issued in April 2006.

Minibuses: Licensing

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consultations took place prior to the implementation of new regulations in respect of minibuses for drivers with post-1977 licences; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The second European Council Directive (No. 91/439/EEC) introduced higher standards for drivers of passenger carrying vehicles. The Department consulted during 1994 on the "Implementation of the Second EC Directive on the Driving Licence" that introduced changes to the driving of minibuses.

Road Traffic: Schools

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Education on measures to reduce traffic generated by the school run since her appointment as Secretary of State for Transport.

Rosie Winterton: The Secretary of State for Transport met the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families earlier this month to discuss how the two Departments might encourage more children to travel to school by bus, cycling or walking and thereby reduce traffic generated by the school run.
	The Department for Transport and Department for Children, Schools and Families have been working together for several years now to reduce traffic generated by the school run and in 2003 launched our joint 'Travelling to School' project, setting out how we want all schools in England to develop an approved school travel plan by 2010 in order to reduce car use for journeys to and from school and to allow many more children to take regular exercise. At the end of March 2007 more than 14,000 schools (56 per cent.) already had an approved plan and we are on target for all schools to have such a plan by 2010.
	The 2006 National Travel Survey suggests that the proportion of children travelling by car has now started to fall. 32 per cent. of children age five to 16 travelled to school by car in both 2004 and 2005 but this has fallen to 30 per cent. in 2006.
	The Department for Transport and Department for Children, School and Families continue to work together to make further progress.

Roads: Wales

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which roads in Wales her Department defines as trunk roads for the purposes of the provisions relating to road-charging schemes in the Local Transport Bill.

Rosie Winterton: In clause 109 of the Local Transport Bill, "Welsh trunk road" is defined as a road for which the Welsh Ministers are the traffic authority (within the meaning of section 121A of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984).

Transport: Heavy Goods Vehicles

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans her Department has for trials of larger and heavier lorries on UK roads.

Jim Fitzpatrick: There are no plans to trial larger and heavier goods vehicles in the UK. The Department has commissioned a desk study into the issues surrounding longer and heavier goods vehicles, but the purpose of this is not to advise on whether to allow trials, rather it is to better inform any future decisions.

ELECTORAL COMMISSION COMMITTEE

Absent Voting

Angela Watkinson: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission what discussions the Electoral Commission has had on measures to improve the efficiency and security of postal votes.

Peter Viggers: The Electoral Commission advises me that it has been involved in extensive discussions on measures to improve the efficiency and security of postal votes. These have taken place at pre and post-election seminars with local authorities and with police and other relevant bodies, including the Royal Mail and the Ministry of Justice.

JUSTICE

Asylum: Crime

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many asylum seekers convicted of crimes are being held in each prison in England and Wales.

David Hanson: Information on the numbers of asylum seekers who are held in custody is not held centrally and would involve detailed cross referencing of BIA case files with Prison Service records to ensure accuracy. As a result, the information required to answer this question cannot be obtained without incurring disproportionate cost.

Computer Misuse Act 1990

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many  (a) prosecutions were brought and  (b) convictions obtained for offences under the Computer Misuse Act 1990 in 2006.

Maria Eagle: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, my hon. Friend the Member for Gedling (Mr. Coaker) on 19 March 2007,  Official Report, columns 667-68W.
	Information for 2006 will be available shortly.

Crime: Firearms

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people were convicted for possessing or distributing prohibited weapons or ammunition in each police force area in England and Wales in each year since 1997.

David Hanson: Information on the number of persons found guilty at all courts of offences for possessing or distributing prohibited weapons or ammunition in England and Wales, by police force area for the years 1997 to 2005 can be found in the following table.
	Information for 2006 will be available shortly.
	
		
			  N umber of persons found guilty at all courts for possessing or distributing prohibited weapons or ammunition in England and Wales, by police force area for the years 1997 to 2005( 1, 2, 3, 4) 
			  Force  1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005 
			 Avon and Somerset 18 32 6 9 27 15 20 18 25 
			 Bedfordshire 14 8 2 2 5 10 9 7 6 
			 Cambridgeshire 8 17 8 9 1 5 12 4 3 
			 Cheshire 8 5 8 4 5 6 4 20 11 
			 City of London 1 4 1 1 0 4 2 5 0 
			 Cleveland 7 12 7 8 5 6 11 11 13 
			 Cumbria 2 7 2 4 4 1 4 4 0 
			 Derbyshire 4 6 13 12 5 14 6 15 17 
			 Devon and Cornwall 16 13 10 8 10 13 16 15 12 
			 Dorset 4 2 2 4 7 5 8 7 8 
			 Durham 5 6 9 9 6 5 12 11 14 
			 Essex 29 37 22 22 15 25 18 29 22 
			 Gloucestershire 4 6 5 6 5 3 9 6 6 
			 Greater Manchester 53 100 57 55 57 51 55 115 108 
			 Hampshire 18 18 18 15 9 21 16 15 28 
			 Hertfordshire 11 9 8 8 10 5 5 16 23 
			 Humberside 4 5 5 7 8 9 9 14 17 
			 Kent 13 20 11 22 29 18 22 18 11 
			 Lancashire 10 32 12 19 17 11 15 22 27 
			 Leicestershire 18 29 15 26 20 13 16 17 17 
			 Lincolnshire 2 6 10 13 4 2 5 6 6 
			 Merseyside 24 31 20 14 18 19 25 54 68 
			 Metropolitan Police 238 270 221 173 224 257 297 268 302 
			 Norfolk 4 8 7 6 4 5 2 12 9 
			 North Yorkshire 5 11 7 7 3 1 6 3 3 
			 Northamptonshire 5 6 11 4 4 5 4 4 7 
			 Northumbria 33 43 43 32 40 26 45 38 38 
			 Nottinghamshire 12 20 12 16 16 12 28 23 27 
			 South Yorkshire 18 24 22 19 11 17 21 23 27 
			 Staffordshire(3) 8 8 7 (3)— 6 16 8 15 13 
			 Suffolk 2 2 4 8 5 4 7 7 6 
			 Surrey 1 5 4 7 7 8 6 7 4 
			 Sussex 8 10 8 4 11 9 14 11 5 
			 Thames Valley 30 30 23 15 11 16 20 24 22 
			 Warwickshire 9 5 5 4 3 7 4 7 6 
			 West Mercia(4) 9 6 11 5 7 7 5 11 6 
			 West Midlands 84 92 87 74 71 79 66 72 69 
			 West Yorkshire 33 72 55 36 33 38 33 52 51 
			 Wiltshire 1 7 5 6 8 6 4 6 10 
			 Dyfed-Powys 3 5 2 7 3 3 5 4 4 
			 Gwent 0 2 4 8 5 4 4 6 4 
			 North Wales 6 4 7 1 1 3 3 7 5 
			 South Wales 8 9 16 11 17 11 18 21 24 
			   
			 England and Wales 790 1,044 812 720 757 795 899 1,050 1,084 
			 (1) These data are on the principal offence basis. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (3) Staffordshire police force were only able to submit sample data for persons proceeded against and convicted in the magistrates courts for the year 2000. Although sufficient to estimate higher orders of data, these data are not robust enough at a detailed level and have been excluded from the table. (4) Includes the following statutes: The Firearms Act 1968, sections 5(1)(a), 5(1)(b), 5(1 )(c), 5(1)(ab), 5(1)(ad), 5(1)(ae), 5(1)(af), 5(1)(aba) and Sch 6, 5(l)(ac), 5(1A)(a), 5(1A)(b) and Sch 6, 5(1A)(c), 5(1A)(d), 5(1A)(e), 5(1A)(f), 5(1A)(g).  Source: RDS Office for Criminal Justice Reform, Ministry of Justice.

Law: Wales

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether he is taking steps to encourage the development of a distinct Welsh legal system.

Michael Wills: The Government are committed to enhancing the legislative competence of the National Assembly for Wales through transferring powers by either framework powers in Westminster Bills or through Orders in Council as provided for in the Government of Wales Act 2006. But increasing the legislative competence of the National Assembly for Wales will not establish a separate Welsh legal system.

Mayors' Community Payback Scheme

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many local authorities have participated in the Mayors' Community Payback Scheme.

David Hanson: We do not collect this information centrally but telephone inquiries indicate that of the 42 probation areas in England and Wales 36 have established Mayors' Community Payback work projects and a total of 63 projects sponsored by mayors are planned, under way or completed. The Mayors' Community Payback Scheme was launched this year to promote public awareness of the significant amount of unpaid work done by offenders on community sentences that benefits local communities and makes reparation for offenders' crimes.

Office of the Information Commissioner: Finance

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what budget was allocated to the Office of the Information Commissioner for  (a) the 2007-08 financial year and  (b) each of the preceding two financial years.

Michael Wills: The grant in aid allocated to the Information Commissioner's Office for each of the last three financial years has been as follows:
	
		
			   £ 
			 2007-08 5,050,000 
			 2006-07 5,550,000 
			 2005-06 5,100,000 
		
	
	The grant is paid to cover only the Commissioner's freedom of information responsibilities. His data protection work is currently funded by notification fees paid by data controllers under section 26 of the Data Protection Act 1998, which his office retains with the agreement of HM Treasury. In 2006-07, this was £10,200,000.

Penalty Notices

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what terms of reference have been established for the review of penalty notices for disorder; and when this review is expected to conclude.

Maria Eagle: Work is currently under way to identify opportunities, processes and best practice to improve the payment of penalty notices for disorder (PNDs), and subsequently when they are not paid, and registered as fines, the payment of those fines. This work is expected to conclude in spring 2008.
	A review of practice across police forces for PNDs was carried out by OCJR. This was published in March 2006 and is available at:
	http://www.crimereduction.homeoffice.gov.uk/policing 20.htm.
	The purpose of the review was to establish best practice in the use of PNDs and to develop consistency, better management and control of the PND scheme.

Police: Wales

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answers of 12 November 2007,  Official Report, column 30W, on police: Wales, and 21 November 2007,  Official Report, columns 975-6W, on prison officers: dismissal, for what reason the number of dismissals in the first answer differs from the number of reasons for dismissals in the second answer for the years 2005 and 2007.

David Hanson: The discrepancy in the number of dismissals reported in the answer of 12 November and the number of dismissals for which reasons were given in the answer of 21 November was due to a difference between the local and central records held at Her Majesty's prison and young offenders institution Parc. The correct figures were those given in the answer of 12 November. I will write to the hon. Member shortly.

Prisoners: Food

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average daily cost to the public purse was of food for each prisoner in the most recent period for which figures are available.

David Hanson: For 2006-07, the last full financial year for which figures are available, the average public sector Prison Service daily food cost per prisoner was £1.97.

Prisoners: Sentencing

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners have completed their tariff and remain in prison.

David Hanson: Complete information on the total numbers of all life and other indeterminate sentence prisoners held in custody beyond their tariff period is not currently available centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. However within the Public Protection Unit of the National Offender Management Service, the Pre-Release Section (PRS) maintains a limited database on those offenders sentenced to Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP). This indicates that, as at 31 October 2007, 428 such offenders were being held in prison beyond their tariff expiry date.
	A new database for the whole of the Public Protection Unit is currently in development. The new database will allow, among other things, information to be recorded accurately relating to the tariff, Parole Board reviews and release of all life and indeterminate sentence prisoners. This new database is not likely to be fully operational until the early part of next year as it will be necessary to migrate core information and fully test the system before it goes live.

Probation Officers: Chelmsford

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many full or part-time probation officers there were in West Chelmsford constituency in each of the last five years.

Maria Eagle: Information is not available for the full period requested. Data collected prior to April 2003 were collected by Home Office RDS unit and were not broken down into probation areas. The following table shows full-time equivalent (FTE) figures as at 31 December for each year and relates to Essex probation area in its entirety as information is not collected for districts within probation areas.
	The reporting mechanism used within the service means that it is not possible at probation area level to extract numbers pertaining to specific staff groups. The information is broken down as operational and support staff between 2003 and 2005. In addition, in 2006, the Offender Management model was adopted across the National Probation Service and the collection of work force information was modified to reflect this change. Consequently, the information is not directly comparable with previous years.
	
		
			  Staff in post in Essex probation area 2003 - 06 
			  Job group  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			 Operational staff 331.7 347.0 339.1 — 
			 Support staff 67.4 85.7 136.7 — 
			 Offender Management — — — 156.4 
			 Interventions — — — 90.4 
			 Other agencies/services — — — 54.5 
			 Corporate services — — — 172.5 
			 Total staff in post 399.1 432.7 475.8 473.8

Reoffenders

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many and what proportion of offenders sentenced to custody had already served  (a) a custodial sentence and  (b) a community sentence in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

David Hanson: Information on offenders' previous sentences does not form part of our standard analysis of criminal histories. The most recent available figures for the previous criminal history of offenders sentenced to custody for indictable offences, which detail number of previous convictions and cautions, are given in the "Sentencing Statistics 2005" publication which is available in the House of Commons Library and can be found online at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs07/hosb0307.pdf

Reoffenders

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many and what proportion of recorded crimes committed were committed by offenders who had previously served  (a) a prison sentence and  (b) a community sentence in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

David Hanson: The information requested is not available as a suspect is not identified for every crime committed. The most relevant available data relate to those sentenced for indictable offences. There are tables published in "Sentencing Statistics 2005" which detail numbers of previous convictions and cautions of those sentenced but do not show what disposals were given for the previous convictions. The publication is available in the House of Commons Library and can be found online at;
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs07/hosb0307.pdf

Reviews

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he plans to publish the Ministry of Justice review.

Jack Straw: The review is continuing. As I told the then Constitutional Affairs Select Committee in oral evidence on 9 October 2007, I will inform Parliament of the findings when the work of the review is complete.

Simple Speedy Summary Justice Scheme

David Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the estimated cost of savings for the Simple Speedy Summary Justice scheme is.

Maria Eagle: CJSSS is primarily about making the criminal justice system more efficient by reducing unnecessary hearings and the time taken to deal with cases in the magistrates courts. Improving the speed and effectiveness of magistrates courts could produce net discounted benefits for the criminal justice system worth approximately £137.4 million over 10 years.

DEFENCE

Armed Forces

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of serving military personnel in  (a) the Army,  (b) the Royal Navy and  (c) the Royal Air Force were (i) single, (ii) married without children, (iii) married with children, (iv) divorced without children and (v) divorced with children at the latest date for which figures are available.

Derek Twigg: The following tables show the number and percentage of UK regular forces in each service who were single, married and divorced at the latest date for which figures are available.
	Figures relating to dependent children are available only for Army Other Ranks.
	Due to the way marital status was recorded in personnel databases, Naval service figures for married personnel do not include those married personnel not in receipt of a married person's allowance, while single and divorced personnel cannot be shown separately.
	Figures are shown at the latest date prior to the introduction of the new Joint Personnel Administration (JPA) system for each service. Information relating to marital status is no longer held centrally, following the phased implementation of the JPA system.
	
		
			  Naval Service( 1)  at 1 October 2006 
			   Total  Percentage  Officers  Percentage  Other Ranks  Percentage 
			  Total 38,940 100.0 7,630 100.0 31,310 100.0 
			
			  Single n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			
			  Married 16,580 42.6 4,740 62.2 11,840 37.8 
			 Without children n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 With children n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			
			  Divorced n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Without children n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 With children n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 (1) Naval Service includes Royal Navy and Royal Marines Army at 1 March 2007. 
		
	
	
		
			  Army at 1 March 2007 
			   Total  Percentage  Officers  Percentage  Other Ranks  Percentage 
			  Total 106,200 100.0 14,680 100.0 91,530 100.0 
			  Single 55,470 52.2 5,420 37.0 50,040 54.7 
			
			  Married 47,460 44.7 8,900 60.6 38,560 42.1 
			 Without children n/a n/a n/a n/a 11,760 12.8 
			 With children n/a n/a n/a n/a 26,800 29.3 
			
			  Divorced 3,270 3.1 350 2.4 2,920 3.2 
			 Without children n/a n/a n/a n/a 1,220 1.3 
			 With children n/a n/a n/a n/a 1,700 1.9 
		
	
	
		
			  RAF at 1 March 2006 
			   Total  Percentage  Officers  Percentage  Other Ranks  Percentage 
			  Total 48,950 100.0 10,330 100.0 38,620 100.0 
			
			  Single 18,960 38.7 3,070 29.7 15,890 41.2 
			
			  Married 27,990 57.2 6,910 66.9 21,080 54.6 
			 Without children n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 With children n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			
			  Divorced 1,990 4.1 340 3.3 1,640 4.3 
			 Without children n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 With children n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 n/a denotes not available.

Armed Forces

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place a copy of the Chief of the General Staff's Briefing Team Report (2007) in the Library.

Des Browne: Yes. I shall arrange for a copy of the Chief of the General Staffs Briefing Team Spring 2007 report to be placed in the Library of the House.

Armed Forces: Compensation

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many applications under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme have been turned down because of failure to comply with the time limit in each year since the scheme was set up.

Derek Twigg: No applications under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme have been turned down because of failure to comply with the time limits set by the scheme.

Armed Forces: Housing

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what mechanisms he uses to assess the condition of the fabric of married quarters over time.

Derek Twigg: We assess the condition of the fabric of Service Family Accommodation (SFA) against a number of different factors which cover the condition of wall finish, roofs, chimneys, windows, guttering and ventilation.
	This assessment is part of a wider assessment of condition covering 102 attributes which are organised into eight categories (Health and Safety, Sanitary, Kitchen, Energy efficiency, Building Fabric, Electrical, Security and Bedroom Standard).
	Deficit points are awarded for the extent of defects present for each element of the building fabric and these are broken down into minor (typically between 1 and 2 deficit points), medium (typically between 3 and 6 deficit points) and major defects (typically between 7 and 12 deficit points). The overall number of deficit points is used to determine the condition of the accommodation and the charge that will be applied.
	
		
			  Building fabric defects 
			  Standard  Minimum  Maximum 
			 1 0 10 
			 2 11 20 
			 3 21 35 
			 4 36 and over 
		
	
	SFA properties are surveyed for condition on a four yearly basis or when an upgrade to the property has occurred.

Armed Forces: Housing

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he plans to take to release void married quarters in advance of the cessation of the project sharing agreement with Annington Homes in November 2011.

Derek Twigg: The decision to dispose of surplus MOD housing stock is based solely on the military requirement. If the services no longer require houses at a particular site in England or Wales then the MOD hand the properties back to Annington Homes Ltd. (AHL).

Departmental Coordination

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions his Department had with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office about the contents of the Foreign Secretary's recent Bruges speech prior to its delivery.

Des Browne: In line with the Ministerial Code, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office routinely consult other interested Departments, including the MOD, in the preparation of speeches and public statements.

Departmental Land

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what planning applications in connection with wind farms his Department has objected to since October 2005; what the reason for each objection was; and what the outcome of each application has been.

Derek Twigg: Since October 2005 the Ministry of Defence has objected to 28 applications (under both Town and Country Planning legislation and the Electricity Act) for wind turbines. These are detailed in the attached table, together with the reasons for objection and the comment status of each planning application. It should be noted that the majority of cases are pending or subject to a public inquiry.
	
		
			  Site name  Planning/consenting authority  Reason for MoD objection  Status  Comment 
			 Bruxiehill Aberdeenshire Council Interference with air defence (AD) radar Pending — 
			 Lotus South Norfolk District Council Interference with air defence (AD) and air traffic control (ATC) radar Refused — 
			 Swaffham Extension Breckland Council Interference with air defence (AD) and air traffic control (ATC) radar Pending — 
			 Hare Hill East Ayrshire Council Unacceptable restriction on operational low flying training Pending — 
			 Broom bank Highland Council Interference with Precision Approach Radar (PAR) Refused Developer wants to appeal by written statements, the council wants a hearing. The reporters unit to decide which form of appeal will go ahead. 
			 Premier Foods South Holland District Council Interference with air traffic control (ATC) Radar Pending — 
			 Andershaw South Lanarkshire Council Unacceptable restriction on operational low flying training Pending — 
			 Wryde Croft Peterborough City Council Interference with air traffic control (ATC) Radar Pending — 
			 Aultmore The Moray Council Interference with air traffic control (ATC) Radar Pending — 
			 Skelmonae Aberdeenshire Council Interference with air defence (AD) radar Pending — 
			 Balquindachy Aberdeenshire Council Interference with air defence (AD) radar Pending — 
			 McCains Foods Fenland District Council Interference with air traffic control (ATC) Radar Granted Turbines have been constructed. The MOD is considering the available options to ensure its interests are protected. 
			 Roos East Riding Council Interference with air defence (AD) radar Refused — 
			 Monkwith East Riding Council Interference with air defence (AD) radar Refused — 
			 Withernwick East Riding Council Interference with air defence (AD) radar Application withdrawn — 
			 Crow Holt Basset Law District Council Interference with air traffic control (ATC) Radar Refused MOD objection was lifted during the public inquiry when the developer agreed to purchase a new Instrument Landing System for RAF Waddington 
			 MSD Cramlington Blyth Valley Borough Council Interference with air defence (AD) radar Refused Appeal lodged; hearing date yet to be confirmed. 
			 Aesica Blyth Valley Borough Council Interference with air defence (AD) radar Refused Appeal withdrawn by the developer. 
			 Wandylaw Berwick-Upon- Tweed Council Interference with air defence (AD) radar Refused — 
			 Sheringham Shoal DBERR Interference with air defence (AD) radar Pending — 
			 Lincs DBERR Interference with air defence (AD) radar Pending — 
			 Gathercauld Fife Council Interference with air traffic control (ATC) Radar Pending — 
			 Ray DBERR Interference with air traffic control (ATC) Radar Public inquiry — 
			 Green Rig Tyndale council Interference with air traffic control (ATC) Radar Public inquiry — 
			 Steadings DBERR Interference with air traffic control (ATC) Radar Public inquiry — 
			 Middlemoor DBERR Interference with air defence (AD) radar Public inquiry — 
			 Fallago Rig Scottish Executive Interference with air defence (AD) radar Public inquiry — 
			 Limmer Hill Scottish Executive Unacceptable restriction on operational low flying training  —

Departmental Manpower

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people aged  (a) 30 to 39,  (b) 40 to 49,  (c) 50 to 59 and  (d) 60 to 69 years have (i) applied for jobs, (ii) received interviews and (iii) gained (A) temporary and (B) permanent jobs in his Department in 2007.

Derek Twigg: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department and its agencies spent on managing their corporate identities in the last 12 month period for which figures are available.

Derek Twigg: Between 20 November 2006 and 19 November 2007, the Ministry of Defence Directorate of Public Relations spent £82,805 on corporate branding and identity.
	Accurate information on how much Defence agencies, top level budget areas, trading funds, joint headquarters, single service commands and military units may have spent on managing their corporate brands is not held centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Secondment

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many secondments of staff were made  (a) to and  (b) from his Department in each year since 1997; which organisations staff were seconded (i) to and (ii) from; how many staff were seconded in each year; for how long each secondment lasted; and what the cost was of each secondment in each year.

Derek Twigg: The approximate number of UK based civilian staff seconded to and from the Department since 2002 is shown in the following table.
	
		
			   Seconded to the Department  Seconded from the Department 
			 2002 8 97 
			 2003 10 129 
			 2004 8 144 
			 , 2005 14 146 
			 2006 5 125 
			 2007 to date 12 103 
		
	
	The other information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Ex-servicemen: Warrington

Helen Southworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many veterans resident in  (a) Warrington and  (b) Warrington South have applied for their Veterans Day badge.

Derek Twigg: The Service Personnel and Veterans Agency can confirm, based on postcode details of applicants, that a total of 1,339 veterans' lapel badges have been issued to residents in the Warrington area. Unfortunately we are unable to distinguish which applications are from Warrington South.

Ministerial Policy Advisers

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence who the special advisers in his Department are; what expertise each has; and what the cost of employing them was in the latest year for which figures are available.

Derek Twigg: I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's statement of 22 November 2007,  Official Report, column 147WS.

Prisoners of War: Compensation

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many applicants for compensation for former civilian detainees of the Japanese received the £4,000 damages settlement compensation; how many of these had received the original ex gratia grant of £10,000; and how many claims under the scheme have not been dealt with.

Derek Twigg: In October 2006, the Court of Appeal upheld a damages award in the case brought by Mrs. Elias to compensate her for injury to feelings caused by having been discriminated against on the grounds of national origin when her claim for an award under the ex-gratia payment scheme for former Far East Prisoners of War and civilian internees was rejected under criteria based on place of birth (the "birthlink").
	The Ministry of Defence subsequently confirmed that it would consider claims for compensation from others who were similarly entitled, and it is anticipated that the majority of former civilian internees that were rejected under the birthlink will be eligible for this compensation.
	As at 21 November, 189 offers of compensation have been made. Of these, 23 individuals have separately qualified for an ex-gratia payment under the scheme on criteria based on residence. There is currently one civilian claim for an ex-gratia payment that is under consideration on which a decision has not yet been made.

RAF Menwith Hill: Manpower

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many UK personnel are employed at RAF Menwith Hill, broken down by employer.

Derek Twigg: As at 1 November 2007 the following UK personnel were employed at RAF Menwith Hill:
	
		
			  Employer  Number 
			 Ministry of Defence 232 
			 Ministry of Defence Police and Guarding Agency 148 
			 Royal Air Force 4 
			 Royal Navy 8 
			 UK Contractors 51 
		
	
	I am withholding the number of GCHQ employees in accordance with Government practice not to reveal numbers of personnel working in intelligence at specific locations.

RAF Menwith Hill: Manpower

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many US personnel are based at RAF Menwith Hill, broken down by employer.

Derek Twigg: As at 1 November 2007 the following US personnel were employed at RAF Menwith Hill.
	
		
			  Employer  Number 
			 US Air Force 173 
			 US Army 146 
			 US Navy 58 
			 US Marine Corps 33 
			 Department of Defense 220 
			 US Contractors 558 
		
	
	A further 222 US civilians are employed at RAF Menwith Hill by various US agencies in catering and services functions. A detailed breakdown is not available.

Territorial Army: Military Decorations

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will amend the regulations so that members of the Territorial Army can wear medals on Combat Soldier 95 working dress on Remembrance Day Parades and ceremonial occasions.

Derek Twigg: Where the occasion warrants it, medals are normally worn on Number 2 Dress at Service events such as Remembrance Parades or ceremonial occasions. Where TA personnel are not in possession of Number 2 Dress, which is the soldiers' usual "parade" or "walking-out" uniform, regional commanders have discretion to allow medals to be worn on Combat Soldier 95 working dress for the duration of such events.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Agriculture: Genetically Modified Organisms

John Penrose: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether he concluded his consideration of the proposed co-existence separation distances between GM and non-GM crops; and what conclusion he has come to.

Phil Woolas: My written ministerial statement of 8 November 2007 explained that we will wait for further developments, including the results of scientific research and the expected EU thresholds for labelling adventitious GM presence in conventional seed, before finalising our coexistence policy. This will include crop separation distances.

Agriculture: Genetically Modified Organisms

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will publish the recent representations he has received on the Government's proposals for the co-existence of GM and non-GM crops; and how many were  (a) in favour and  (b) against the proposal.

Phil Woolas: The consultation paper made a number of proposals on how to manage the coexistence of GM and non-GM crops. The summary of responses was published on 8 November 2007 and is available on the DEFRA website.

Climate Change

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what account he takes of the Natural Environment Research Council's research on climate systems in formulating his Department's policy on climate change and adaptation.

Phil Woolas: My Department recognises the relevance and importance of the climate change research carried out by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). This make a significant contribution to the evidence base for policy formulation. Much of the climate research undertaken with DEFRA funding is done by the Met Office's Hadley Centre in close collaboration with NERC specialists.
	This ongoing research effort is currently being strengthened through a new NERC and Met Office joint climate research programme. DEFRA is represented on the Programme Board of relevant NERC climate change programmes, for example quantifying and understanding the earth system (QUEST). DEFRA specialists liaise closely with NERC scientists and theme leaders and there is close collaboration at the highest level between the two organisations. My Department is a partner in NERC's new living with environmental change programme, which I anticipate will enable further important collaborations on climate science and adaptation issues.

Domestic Wastes: Waste Disposal

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research  (a) has been and  (b) will be undertaken by his Department to assess the effects of fortnightly bin collections on levels of fly-tipping.

Joan Ruddock: My Department has not commissioned any research to formally assess fly-tipping incidents resulting from local authorities moving to alternate weekly collections of residual household waste.
	Many alternate weekly collections have been in place for a number of years and pre-date the collection of fly-tipping statistics. In addition, many schemes run in only parts of a local authority area. Therefore, data from Flycapture, the national fly-tipping statistical database, cannot be used to assess a link between switching to alternate weekly collection of household waste and an increase in fly tipping incidents.
	However, my Department has been in discussions with the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) to investigate whether there are any local authorities which are introducing these schemes in the future that would be prepared to carry out some pre and post-scheme analysis of fly-tipping. No local authorities have come forward to date. Discussions have also taken place with two local authorities that have recently introduced alternate weekly collections across the whole of their boroughs and my officials will investigate whether Flycapture can be used in these instances for any meaningful analysis.
	My Department actively encourages local authorities to have fly-tipping prevention and enforcement strategies in place, regardless of whether they introduce alternate weekly collections or not.

Flood Control: Expenditure

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much was spent on  (a) river flood defences as internal drainage and  (b) sea flood defences and England and Wales in (i) 2004, (ii) 2005, (iii) 2006 and (iv) 2007.

Phil Woolas: Flood risk management is a devolved issue, and in Wales, is the responsibility of the Welsh Assembly Government.
	The following table shows flood risk management (river and sea) spend by the Environment Agency in England. It is not possible to separate these costs into river and sea components because in many areas flood risk arises from both rivers and the sea.
	
		
			  £ million 
			   2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			 Capital 151 202 162 
			 Maintenance 162 163 176 
			 Other 62 153 115 
			 Total 375 618 453 
		
	
	Capital figures reflect spend on new and improved capital measures to reduce flood risk, including flood warning infrastructure. Maintenance figures reflect spend on maintenance of existing assets. Other Flood Risk Management spend covers the cost of delivering flood warning services, flood mapping, development control, data management such as the National Flood and Coastal Defence Database, regional flood defence committees and other associated costs such as investment in and provision of information systems, accommodation and overheads.
	The additional spend in 2005-06 was largely funded from Regional Flood Defence Committee financial balances which are no longer maintained now that the Environment Agency's principal funding source for flood risk management is direct grant from DEFRA.
	The following table shows DEFRA's grant to local authorities and internal drainage boards for capital flood risk improvement works:
	
		
			  DEFRA grant to local authorities 
			   £ million 
			 2004-05 5.7 
			 2005-06 10.5 
			 2006-07 13.1 
		
	
	These figures are for both river and sea flood risk. Further substantial sums were paid to local authorities for coast protection works which are primarily intended to protect against coastal erosion but which also often provide significant protection against sea flooding. Local authorities also receive funding for flood risk maintenance and operational activities through the local government funding arrangements provided by the Department for Communities and Local Government.

Flood Control: Expenditure

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether her Department's statement of principles with the insurance industry extends to (a) the cost implications of additional landfill tax as a result of flood damaged property to be disposed of and (b) uninsured losses

Phil Woolas: I have been asked to reply.
	The Association of British Insurers Statement of Principles aims to ensure continued widespread availability of flood cover for households in flood risk areas. It does not extend to the cost implications of additional landfill tax or uninsured losses.

Flood Control: Hedges and Ditches

Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will establish a national strategy for cleaning ditches and brooks as part of his flood prevention policy.

Phil Woolas: holding answer 26 November 2007
	The operating authorities (principally the Environment Agency) undertake prioritised programmes of maintenance work on watercourses, including cleaning and dredging where appropriate. Otherwise responsibility for clearance lies with the land owner.

Floods: East Riding

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what mechanisms  (a) he has and  (b) he plans to put in place to prevent flooding in East Yorkshire.

Phil Woolas: holding answer 26 November 2007
	The Environment Agency is currently preparing the 100-year Hull and Humber Strategies. The Hull Strategy is expected to be delivered in 2008-09 subject to consultation leading to its implementation. It will examine the long-term requirements, risks, cost and benefits of flood defences, and other forms of flood risk management in the Hull catchment.

Floods: West Country

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much has been spent on flood defences in the West Country since 2002.

Phil Woolas: The following table shows the amount spent on flood defences in the west country since 2002.
	
		
			   £ million 
			 2002-03 39.3 
			 2003-04 42.1 
			 2004-05 38.3 
			 2005-06 48.7 
			 2006-07 45.1 
			 Total 213.5 
		
	
	Capital support by DEFRA to local authorities and internal drainage boards (now paid through the Environment Agency) in the same area was as follows:
	
		
			   £ million 
			 2002-03 1.2 
			 2003-04 0.9 
			 2004-05 0.4 
			 2005-06 1.0 
			 2006-07 1.4 
			 Total 4.9 
		
	
	The aforementioned data do not include support for local authority coast protection works which are primarily intended to protect against coastal erosion, but can also often provide significant protection against sea flooding. Nor do they include funding to local authorities for flood risk maintenance and operational activities through local government funding arrangements provided by the Department for Communities and Local Government.

Heating: Carbon Emissions

John Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the likely increase in carbon dioxide emissions from the use of outdoor heating for smokers following the introduction of the ban on smoking in enclosed public places.

Phil Woolas: The Market Transformation Programme (MTP) has recently updated its briefing note on 'Outdoor Heating for Comfort' to take account of the impact of the smoking ban on carbon dioxide emissions from outdoor heaters. The revised briefing note estimates that annual carbon dioxide emissions from patio heaters in commercial premises, would lie between 96 and 282 Kilotonnes CO2. The updated briefing note is available on the MTP website at:
	www.mtprog.com

Home Energy Efficiency Scheme

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what guidance he has issued to EAGA partnerships to ensure that Warm Front contractors are locally based.

Phil Woolas: Guidance has not been issued to EAGA to appoint locally based installers.
	EAGA has been instructed to select installers based on the strength of the tender they have submitted and following checks on financial probity and qualifications. Preference could not be given to local contractors due to regulations governing public procurement in the European Union.

Home Energy Efficiency Scheme

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether Warm Front contractors are required to be local businesses.

Phil Woolas: Successful installers working on the Warm Front Scheme were chosen on the strength of the tender they submitted and following checks on financial probity and qualifications. Preference could not be given to local contractors per se due to regulations governing public procurement in the European Union.

Nitrate Sensitive Areas: Public Participation

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will make a statement on progress in the Nitrate Vulnerable Zones consultation.

Phil Woolas: holding answer 26 November 2007
	The public consultation on the implementation of the EC Nitrates Directive in England was launched on 21 August. The deadline for receipt of responses is 13 December 2007.
	A report presenting a summary of my Department's analysis of consultation responses will be published early in the new year.

Recycling: Supermarkets

Chris Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans he has for requiring supermarkets to take greater responsibility for the environmental impact of the waste they generate; and if he will make a statement.

Joan Ruddock: Supermarkets are already responsible for the environmental impact of the waste they generate.
	There are two sets of packaging regulations in place to encourage producers (including retailers) to minimise, recycle and recover packaging and reduce packaging waste.
	The Government have created incentives for all businesses to reduce, re-use and recycle their waste. For example, we have announced that the landfill tax escalator will be increased, so that the standard rate of tax will be raised by £8 per annum from £24 now to £48 in 2010.
	The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) assists both businesses and consumers in their efforts to be more efficient in their use of materials and reduce the impacts of their waste. WRAP is currently working with food retailers through the 'Courtauld Commitment', a voluntary agreement which aims to halt packaging growth by 2008 and make absolute reductions in packaging waste by 2010. 12 major retailers, representing 92 per cent. of the UK grocery sector, and 12 major brands have signed the commitment since its launch in 2005.
	In addition, DEFRA, working with WRAP and the devolved Administrations, has secured the agreement of UK retailers to reduce the overall environmental impact of their carrier bags by 25 per cent. by the end of 2008.
	WRAP also has a target to divert 100,000 tonnes of food waste from landfill by March 2008. Retailers, and a number of significant food manufacturers, have agreed to work with WRAP to help deliver this target. More generally, DEFRA is working closely with the food industry to improve its environmental impact through the Food Industry Sustainability Strategy (FISS). The FISS targets a reduction in the food industry's own wastes of 15-20 per cent. by 2010.

Waste Disposal: Gloucestershire

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions he has had with Gloucestershire county council on its proposed waste facility at Javelin Park off Junction 12 of the M5.

Joan Ruddock: No such discussions have taken place. The Government believe that local authorities are best placed to make local waste management decisions.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Africa: Floods

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the long-term effects of the flooding in Africa; and what additional work his Department is undertaking to assist the flood-hit regions.

Shahid Malik: In West Africa and the Sahel, the floods have coincided with the most critical time of year, when families face food insecurity. The destruction of crop and food stocks has aggravated the vulnerability of poor families both in the immediate and medium terms. In East Africa, the effects have been as severe—in Uganda, the next successful harvest cannot be expected before February 2008, and it will take at least two harvests for affected households to fully recover their losses.
	Across the affected countries, medium term food security needs are being formally assessed by DFID's traditional partners (including the World Food Programme), and DFID will respond as appropriate on the basis of the vulnerabilities identified.
	DFID has responded promptly to the humanitarian consequences of the flooding through relief interventions and complementary early recovery activities, where needs have been assessed and identified. Overall, a total of £9.21 million has been allocated for flood response from the UN's Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF)—to which the UK has contributed £42.2 million this year. The Togo contribution (£110,000) was specifically for agricultural recovery.
	DFID is also the largest donor to the Common Humanitarian Fund (CHF) in Sudan, contributing approximately £40 million this year, and the Humanitarian Response Fund (HRF) in Ethiopia, contributing £3 million this year. These funds have been drawn down in Sudan (£2.4 million) and Ethiopia (£1 million) for flood response. Some of these funds will be directed towards addressing the longer term effects of the flooding.
	Direct DFID funding is being provided where humanitarian and recovery needs remain unmet. So far DFID has contributed £1 million in Ethiopia to the appeal of the international Red Cross (ICRC), some of which is being used for flood response, and a total of £1.834 million in Uganda and Ghana. In. Ghana £343,000 is in support of an agricultural recovery programme being implemented by CARE.

Bangladesh: International Assistance

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what aid and assistance has been provided by the UK Government to Bangladesh in relation to damage caused by Cyclone Sidr.

Shahid Malik: The UK Government have provided £5 million for Cyclone Sidr relief in Bangladesh: £2.5 million through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to local Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) and an additional £2.5 million as announced by the Secretary of State on the 23 November. The UK also accounts for an 18 per cent. share, around £650,000, of the European Commission's (EC) pledge of approximately £3.6 million for emergency aid. DFID has made indirect contributions through the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), which has allocated US $14.7 million to the Bangladesh response. This year, DFID has provided $83.7 million to the Fund, making us the largest donor. The UK is also providing support through some of our existing development programmes in Bangladesh.
	DFID has sent two disaster relief experts to Bangladesh to support the DFID country office in its emergency efforts and make recommendations on further UK support. Our Bangladesh office is in regular contact with the Government of Bangladesh's Disaster Management Bureau (to which DFID is providing long-term support), and the UN team concerning the situation on the ground.

Departmental Correspondence

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what percentage of inquiries received by his Department from the public were responded to within  (a) one week,  (b) 14 days,  (c) 28 days,  (d) two months and  (e) three months in the last period for which figures are available; and in what percentage of cases it took (i) over three months and (ii) over one year to respond.

Shahid Malik: The Government publish an annual report to Parliament on the Department's performance in replying to Members and Peers correspondence. The report for 2006 was published on 28 March 2007,  Official Report, column 101WS. Information for 2007 will be published as soon it is ready after the end of the calendar year. Reports for earlier years are available in the Library of the House.
	DFID does not hold information on public inquiries in the format requested, and it could be collated only at a disproportionate cost. In 2006, the Department's Public Inquiry Point handled 17,545 inquiries. 88 per cent. of letters and 90 per cent. of e-mails were answered within 15 days and 95 per cent. of telephone requests were answered within two days.

Departmental ICT

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which manufacturers' software is used in his Department.

Shahid Malik: Software from the following manufacturers is in use in DFID:
	Abbey Software House
	Adobe Systems Inc.
	AdREM Software Inc.
	Agresso
	Ai Squared
	AKS-Labs
	Alfred Bolliger
	Alito
	Apache Software Foundation
	Apple Inc.
	Aptech Systems Inc.
	ArcSoft Corporation
	Attachmate Corporation
	AXS-One Europe Ltd.
	BanglaSoftware Group
	Barron McCann Ltd
	Belina Time Systems (Private) Limited
	BizCard Inc.
	Blackwells
	BorderWare Technologies Inc.
	Borland
	Bottom line
	BRADY Corporation
	Brittania
	Gentium
	Centre Technologies Ltd
	Check Point Software Technologies Ltd
	Cirrus Information Technology Limited
	Cisco
	Citrix Systems, Inc
	CODA
	Cognos
	Commvault Systems Inc
	Computer Associates
	Cordis
	Corel Corporation
	D-BIT Australia Pty Ltd
	Drawbase Software.
	Macrovision Corporation
	Esker
	Ethereal, Inc.
	EuroFluxo International.
	GIMP
	GlobalScape Inc
	Google Inc.
	Grundig Business Systems
	Helios Software Solutions
	Hewlett Packard
	I.R.I.S. Group
	Infra
	Inmagic, Inc.
	Insights Learning and Development Limited
	Inspiration Software Inc.
	International Household Survey Network
	iPass Inc.
	Ipswitch, Inc.
	Javvin Technologies, Inc.
	Jupiterimages (UK) Ltd.
	LAC VIET Computing Corp
	Lenel Systems International, Inc.
	Luxmate
	MediaLingua
	Messaging Architects
	Microfocus
	Microsoft Corporation
	Mininova
	Multisystems
	NaturalSoft Limited
	Network Instruments
	Newell Rubbermaid
	Nokia
	Northgate
	Novell Inc.
	Nuance Communications, Inc
	NUNIT
	Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.
	Olympus Imaging America Inc.
	Open Text Corporation
	Oracle Corporation
	Palm Inc.
	Paymaster
	Pham Kim Long
	Phoenix Travel
	Pixel Translations/E File UK Ltd
	Polycom
	Quark Inc.
	Quest Software, Inc.
	RDA Enterprises Inc.
	Real Networks, Inc.
	RealVNC Limited
	Reflex Magnetics Ltd
	Research In Motion Ltd
	Sabre Inc.
	Sage (UK) Ltd
	Scion Electronics
	Seavus Group
	SHE Software Limited
	Sim Card Manager
	SimTech Systems Inc.
	SirsiDynix
	Skinkers
	Softline Pastel
	Softline VIP
	Sonic Solutions
	Sony Corporation
	SPSS Inc.
	Standard Chartered
	StataCorp LP
	Stonesoft
	Sun MicroSystems Inc.
	Surpass Software
	SWiSHzone.com Pty Ltd
	Symantec
	System At Work
	Tardus
	TechSmith Corporation
	Texthelp Systems Ltd
	The Crown Agents for Overseas Governments and Administrations Ltd
	The Solution Works
	The Thomson Corporation
	The World Bank Group
	Tilman Hausherr
	Toshiba Corporation
	Touchpaper Software plc
	Transition Associates Limited
	Trend Micro Incorporated
	UNICEF
	Unicorn
	Valid Information Systems
	Verity, Inc.
	Vodafone
	Visual Click Software, Inc.
	VMWare
	Watchfire Corporation
	WebTrends Inc.
	win.rar GmbH/Canboy
	Wolters Kluwer (UK) Limited
	WRQ
	YesSoftware, Inc

Developing Countries: Water

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what aid and assistance was provided by the Government to improve water and sanitation provisions in developing countries in each of the last five years.

Shahid Malik: A detailed breakdown of DFID support for the water sector over the last five years can be found in two reports titled "Financial Support to the Water Sector 2002-2004" and "Financial Support to the Water Sector 2004-2006", prepared for DFID by WS Atkins Plc. Both are available on the DFID website:
	www.dfid.gov.uk.

Sudan: Armed Conflict

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the environmental impact of the conflict in western Sudan; and what steps he has taken to ensure the long-term integration of sustainable resource management into recovery programmes.

Shahid Malik: DFID supported the "UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Post-Conflict Environmental Assessment for Sudan-2007". This concentrates on the links between conflict and the environment, including in Western Sudan. The report highlights competition over pastoral land and water in Darfur as a driving force behind the majority of local confrontations over the last 70 years. It also indicates a very strong link between land degradation, desertification and conflict in the region.
	Further to this analysis, we are also providing £2.18 million to support a new sustainable livelihoods programme in Darfur in partnership with UNEP, the UN Human Settlement Programme and the UN Resident Co-ordinator's Office. The programme aims to protect environmental assets, support strategies that "do no harm", and promote environmentally-friendly solutions that sustainably protect the livelihoods of ordinary Darfuris. The programme will work with and through others to prevent deforestation, promote woodless construction and improve water resource management.

Trade: Medicine

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether the Government is offering support to countries which wish to use Trade-Related Intellectual Property Rights flexibilities to produce, export or import generic medicines.

Shahid Malik: The Government support the right of developing countries to utilise TRIPS flexibilities and in particular to facilitate access to cheaper medicines. This includes the right to produce, export or import generic medicines under a compulsory licence. The Government strongly supported the EU Regulation passed in 2006 which enables European generic manufacturers to export medicines under a compulsory licence to developing countries in accordance with the amendment to TRIPS agreed by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in 2005.
	DFID has financed a number of organisations to provide support to developing countries to make better use of their TRIPS flexibilities, including compulsory licensing. These organisations include the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD). Activities include country level analysis of legislation and policy and technical assistance in the form of training and diagnosis.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Benefits

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the number of children living in households entitled to but not claiming  (a) disability living allowance and  (b) council tax benefit; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what the take-up rate of  (a) housing benefit,  (b) council tax benefit and  (c) disability living allowance among those eligible was in each year since their introduction; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what estimate he has made of the number of children living in households eligible for but not claiming housing benefit; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: Estimates of the number of children living in households entitled to but not claiming benefit are not available.
	Estimates of the take-up rates and number of families not claiming the main income-related benefits—income support, pension credit, housing benefit, council tax benefit and income-based jobseeker's allowance—are available in the DWP publication series entitled 'Income Related Benefits Estimates of Take-Up in 2005-06'. The latest edition includes estimates of take-up in each year since 1997-98. Copies of the latest publication, plus past reports, can be found in the Library.
	Estimates of the take-up rate of disability living allowance are not available.

Benefits

Joan Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what the take-up rates of  (a) housing benefit,  (b) council tax benefit and  (c) disability living allowance were in 2006-07;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the number of children living in households entitled to but not claiming  (a) housing benefit,  (b) council tax benefit and  (c) disability living allowance.

James Plaskitt: Estimates of take-up in 2006-07 are not available.
	The latest estimates relate to 2005-06. These estimates cover the take-up of the main income-related benefits only—income support, pension credit, housing benefit, council tax benefit and income-based jobseeker's allowance—and are available in the DWP publication entitled 'Income Related Benefits Estimates of Take-Up in 2005-06'. Copies of the latest publication, plus past reports, can be found in the Library.
	Estimates of the take-up rate of disability living allowance are not available.
	Estimates of the number of children living in households entitled to but not claiming benefit are not available.

Carers' Allowances

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many employed people qualify for the carer's allowance.

Anne McGuire: At May 2007, 48,970 carer's allowance claimants were in employment.

Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he expects the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission will be fully operational; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: Subject to parliamentary approval, the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission will become operational in 2008.

Children: Maintenance

Angus MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many absent parents in each constituency in Scotland are being dealt with by the Child Support Agency under the old rules.

James Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive. He will write to the hon. Member.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty dated 27 November 2007:
	In reply to your recent parliamentary question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many absent parents in each constituency in Scotland are being dealt with by the Child Support Agency under the old rules.
	The Agency does not gather information in the format requested. The information available relates to the number of old rules cases with a non-resident parent living in each constituency in Scotland as at September 2007 and is provided in the attached table. Therefore, non-resident parents with more than one case will be counted for each related case.
	I hope you find this answer helpful.
	
		
			  Parliamentary constituency of non-resident parent for cases dealt with under old rules: September 2007 
			  Constituency  Cases 
			 Aberdeen North 1,300 
			 Aberdeen South 900 
			 Airdrie and Shotts 1,500 
			 Angus 1,400 
			 Argyll and Bute 900 
			 Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock 1,400 
			 Banff and Buchan 1,100 
			 Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk 1,300 
			 Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross 600 
			 Central Ayrshire 1,400 
			 Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill 1,400 
			 Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East 1,000 
			 Dumfries and Galloway 1,100 
			 Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale 800 
			 Dundee East 1,400 
			 Dundee West 1,700 
			 Dunfermline and West Fife 1,400 
			 East Dunbartonshire 300 
			 East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow 900 
			 East Lothian 900 
			 East Renfrewshire 600 
			 Edinburgh East 1,100 
			 Edinburgh North and Leith 1,000 
			 Edinburgh South 600 
			 Edinburgh South West 1,400 
			 Edinburgh West 700 
			 Falkirk 1,800 
			 Glasgow Central 1,200 
			 Glasgow East 1,500 
			 Glasgow North 900 
			 Glasgow North East 2,000 
			 Glasgow North West 1,500 
			 Glasgow South 1,200 
			 Glasgow South West 1,600 
			 Glenrothes 1,700 
			 Gordon 800 
			 Inverclyde 1,100 
			 Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey 1,300 
			 Kilmarnock and Loudoun 1,300 
			 Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath 1,600 
			 Lanark and Hamilton East 1,300 
			 Linlithgow and East Falkirk 1,500 
			 Livingston 1,900 
			 Midlothian 1,100 
			 Moray 1,100 
			 Motherwell and Wishaw 1.400 
			 Na h-Eileanan an lar 200 
			 North Ayrshire and Arran 1,400 
			 North East Fife 700 
			 Ochil and South Perthshire 1,400 
			 Orkney and Shetland 600 
			 Paisley and Renfrewshire North 900 
			 Paisley and Renfrewshire South 1,200 
			 Perth and North Perthshire 1,200 
			 Ross, Skye and Lochaber 600 
			 Rutherglen and Hamilton West 1,300 
			 Stirling 1,000 
			 West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine 500 
			 West Dunbartonshire 1,200 
			  Notes:  1. Includes all cases with either a full maintenance assessment or an interim maintenance assessment Including those with a nil liability.  2. This table relates to cases. Therefore, non-resident parents involved in more than one case are included multiple times.  3. All figures are rounded to the nearest 100.  4. Cases have been allocated to parliamentary constituency through matching the postcode for a residential address against the Office for National Statistics postcode directory.  5. A component of the old scheme numbers is taken from a 5 per cent. sample of cases on the old computer system. The old scheme figures and the overall totals are therefore subject to a degree of sampling variation. This sampling variation is greater in proportional terms when the number estimated is small.

Children: Maintenance

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average processing time was for child support applications in each constituency in Scotland in the latest period for which figures are available.

James Plaskitt: The information requested is not available at constituency level.

Children: Maintenance

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether money received from  (a) war disablement pensions and  (b) the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (i) is included in the calculation of child support payments by the Child Support Agency and (ii) will be included in calculations made by the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission.

James Plaskitt: The current treatment of parents receiving these payments differs between the two existing schemes.
	Under the first child support scheme introduced in 1993 any element of a war disablement pension awarded in respect of attendance needs is ignored. The remaining part of that award in respect of a parent, and any periodical payment made under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme, will be taken into account, apart from a £10 a week disregard. If the liability of a non-resident parent receiving one of these payments would otherwise be the minimum amount, the liability is reduced to nil.
	Under the second child support scheme, introduced from March 2003, a non-resident parent receiving war disablement pension or periodical payments under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme will be liable for a flat-rate maintenance of £5 per week.
	The proposed new calculation rules to be operated by the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission from 2010 will continue to include a flat-rate but at £7 per week for non-resident parents receiving war disablement pension or periodical payments under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme.

Children: Maintenance

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the Child Maintenance and Enforcements Commission will sign new contracts with debt collection agencies for debt collection or maintain contracts with agencies signed by the Child Support Agency.

James Plaskitt: When responsibility for child support functions transfers to the Commission, the Commission will be able to use the contracts currently used by the CSA. Future debt collection arrangements will be for the Commission to determine.

Children: Maintenance

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many individuals have received a consolatory payment from the Child Support Agency;
	(2)  what the  (a) average size and  (b) total value has been of consolatory payments made to individuals by the Child Support Agency.

James Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is the matter for the Chief Executive. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty, dated 27 November 2007:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many individuals have received a consolatory payment from the Child Support Agency.
	and
	What the (a) average size and (b) total value has been of consolatory payments made to individuals by the Child Support Agency.
	The Agency does not routinely collect information regarding the number of individuals that receive consolatory payments. The information provided in the table below refers to the total number of consolatory awards made in the most recent complete year. Individuals may receive more than one award in any year.
	
		
			  Child Support Agency consolatory awards 
			   2006-07 
			 Total number of Consolatory awards made 9,194 
			 Consolatory payments (£ million) 0.666 
			 Average (£) 72.44 
		
	
	Consolatory awards are not usually large amounts but do acknowledge that a client's case has not been handled as well as it might.
	I hope you find this answer helpful.

Departmental Pay

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the value of the Christmas bonus was in each year since 1997.

Mike O'Brien: The Christmas bonus has been £10 in each year since 1997.

Incapacity Benefit

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many incapacity benefit claimants with claims of five years or more duration there were in each year since 1997, broken down by  (a) region,  (b) local authority area and  (c) parliamentary constituency.

Anne McGuire: The available information has been placed in the Library.

Incapacity Benefit: Chelmsford

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in receipt of incapacity benefit in West Chelmsford constituency there were in each of the last five years.

Anne McGuire: holding answer 26 November 2007
	The information is in the following table.
	
		
			  Number of incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance claimants in West Chelmsford parliamentary constituency 
			  Quarter ending May  West Chelmsford 
			 2003 2,260 
			 2004 2,360 
			 2005 2,470 
			 2006 2,430 
			 2007 2,430 
			  Note:  Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.   Source:  DWP Information Directorate Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study 100 per cent. data.

National Insurance

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many duplicate national insurance numbers have been issued in error in the last three years for which figures are available.

James Plaskitt: holding answer 13 November  2007
	I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave the hon. Member for Epsom and Ewell (Chris Grayling) on 17 September 2007,  Official Report, column 2294W. There is no later information available.

Pension Credit

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the estimated cost would be of increasing the pension credit to  (a) 20 per cent.,  (b) 40 per cent. and  (c) 60 per cent. of the average wage (i) in gross terms and (ii) net of existing benefits foregone and extra tax paid.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 14 November 2007
	The costs and savings of changing the level of the standard minimum guarantee to the proportion of the average wage specified in the question are shown in the following table. There are a number of different definitions of average wages. For the purposes of this answer we are using the gross weekly average mean earnings reported by the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2007. This figure stands at £549.80. 60 per cent. of this figure is £329.88.
	It should be noted that this is a very different definition to the one used to understand low incomes for pensioners. Low income pensioners are often measured as those living in households with an income below 60 per cent. of median household income. Here income is measured as total net disposable household income after deducting housing costs, adjusted for household size. In 2005-06, the 60 per cent. of median income amount after housing costs are deducted stood at the equivalent of £108 for a single person without children.
	
		
			  Cost of changing pension credit standard minimum guarantee to proportions of average wage—2007-08 
			   Costs/savings   (£ billion)  Implied standard minimum guarantee  ( £)  Endpoint of pension credit  (£)  Proportion of pensioner households eligible for PC 
			 20 per cent. mean wage saving of 2.1 billion 109.96 143.95 around one-third 
			 40 per cent. of mean wage cost of 34.5 billion 219.92 418.85 around 80 per cent. 
			 60 per cent. of mean wage cost of 84.0 billion 329.88 693.75 around 90 per cent. 
			  Notes 1. The average wage is defined as the mean gross weekly pay for full time employee jobs. 2. The impacts of the proposals on housing benefit and council tax benefit expenditure are included. 3. Costs and savings have been rounded to the nearest £100 million. 4. Pension credit is not subject to income tax, therefore answer provided in gross terms only. 5. The pension credit end point is the level of income at which entitlement to pension credit ceases. This amount can be higher if someone is entitled to additional amounts for caring responsibilities, severe disabilities and certain housing costs.  Source: 2007-08 DWP Policy Simulation Model based on 2005-06 Family Resources Survey. Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2007

Pension Credit

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the proportion of those eligible for pension credit who claimed it in  (a) the UK and  (b) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency in each of the last three years.

Mike O'Brien: Estimates of eligibility and take-up are not available below the level of Great Britain. It is not therefore possible to say how many people are eligible to pension credit and what the take-up rate is for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency.
	Latest estimates of take-up rates for pension credit in Great Britain were published in the "Income Related Benefits Estimates of Take-Up in 2005/06" report. A copy of this report is available in the Library.
	The following table shows the number of households in Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency in receipt of pension credit as at May in each of the last three years.
	
		
			  As at May of each year  Pension credit household recipients 
			 2005 5,030 
			 2006 5,130 
			 2007 5,120 
			  Notes: 1. The number of households in receipt are rounded to the nearest ten. 2. Household recipients are those people who claim pension credit either for themselves only or on behalf of a household.  Source:  DWP Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study 100 per cent data

Pension Funds: EC Law

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the likely impact of the EU Markets in Financial Instruments Directive on the ability of pension funds to acquire foreign shares.

Kitty Ussher: I have been asked to reply.
	In order to assess the impact of MiFID, research was commissioned by the FSA. This highlighted that potential benefits to investors, which include pension funds, could arise from increased competition and from deeper and more liquid capital markets.

Pensions: Post Offices

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of people in Eastbourne who collect their pensions from the post office.

James Plaskitt: The information is not available in the format requested.
	Information showing the number of DWP pension payment accounts paid into a Post Office card account for each parliamentary constituency has been placed in the Library.
	In addition to the Post Office card account, there are around 25 bank accounts which are accessible at post offices.

Population: Pensioners

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the change in the number of people aged  (a) 65 years and over and  (b) 75 years and over in each constituency in England since 1997.

Angela Eagle: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 27 November 2007:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your question regarding what estimate has been made of the change in the number of people aged (a) 65 years and over and (b) 75 years and over in each constituency in England since 1997. I am replying in her absence. (167573)
	The Office for National Statistics (ONS) does not currently have for the whole of England, parliamentary constituency population estimates from 1997. I am therefore unable to provide an estimate of the numbers aged 65 or 75 years and over in each constituency in England.
	ONS is however intending to publish population estimates for parliamentary constituencies in England (and Wales) for mid-2001 to mid-2005 as experimental statistics in December 2007. It will therefore be possible for us to provide population estimates by age (and sex) for parliamentary constituencies in England for these years.

Redundancy Pay

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 23 October 2007,  Official Report, column 237W, on redundancy pay, what the  (a) average,  (b) highest and  (c) lowest redundancy payment was; and what the budget for redundancies was in that period.

Caroline Flint: In the 12 months ending 31 March 2007, £55.8 million was spent on early release payments. Over this period there were no compulsory redundancies.
	Based on the average cost to the Department in 2006-07, the overall average early release payment was £50,000. The highest early release cost to the Department, at Grade 6 level, was £240,000 and the lowest early release cost, at Administrative Assistant level, was £9,500 and the overall average cost in that year was £50,000. These payments are based on the cost to the Department not the payment to the individual.
	The departmental budget for early releases in 2006-07 was £85 million. £55.8 million has been spent and the balance of £29.2 million has been set aside for future pension provision.

Social Security Benefits: Disabled

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the  (a) number and  (b) proportion of people who are entitled to disability-related benefits but are not claiming them.

Anne McGuire: Disability-related benefits consist of disability living allowance and attendance allowance. Estimates of take-up are not available for either.

Social Security Benefits: Fraud

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in West Chelmsford constituency have been found guilty of benefit fraud in each of the last five years.

James Plaskitt: The information is not available below Government office region level.

State Retirement Pensions

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what representations he has received on the merits of issuing P60s to confirm state pension payment levels; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 19 November 2007
	We have had no recent representations. However, state pension customers can request a statement of state pension paid in a previous tax year, by contacting their pension centre. Form BR735 is completed by pension centre staff on receipt of a request and is then issued direct to the customer.

Winter Fuel Payments

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what number and percentage of eligible pensioners in  (a) Cornwall,  (b) South West England and  (c) England have claimed winter fuel allowance in each of the last five years.

Mike O'Brien: The information requested is not available in the form requested. We can only assess eligibility for those people who are in contact with the Department and whose circumstances are known. The vast majority of winter fuel payments are made automatically without the need to claim, but those people whose circumstances we are not already aware of, for instance because they are not on state pension or other benefits administered by DWP, would need to make a claim so that their eligibility can be assessed.
	The following table shows the number of winter fuel payments made to people in the county of Cornwall and The Isles of Scilly, South West England Government office region and England in each of the last five years.
	
		
			  Payments Made 
			   Cornwall and The Isles of Scilly  South West England  England 
			 2002-03 123,410 1,132,140 9,709,940 
			 2003-04 125,500 1,148,050 9,813,180 
			 2004-05 125,300 1,146,650 9,761,980 
			 2005-06 127,410 1,163,320 9,863,780 
			 2006-07 130,810 1,186,270 10,028,780 
			  Notes:  1. Figures rounded to the nearest 10.  2. Government office regions are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant ONS postcode directory.   Source:  Information directorate 100 per cent. data.

INNOVATION, UNIVERSITIES AND SKILLS

Departmental Press

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills to which periodicals his Department subscribes.

David Lammy: A list of periodicals subscribed to by the DCSF library is shown in the following list. Current DCSF library provide information and library services to ex-DFES staff within DIUS, including access to hard copy journals. Ex-DTI staff within DIUS have no access to centralised periodical provision. Individual teams within DIUS have the option to subscribe to periodicals if they wish, however to extract this information would involve disproportionate cost.
	 List of periodicals subscribed to by DCSF Library
	 Accountancy
	 ACE Bulletin (Advisory Centre for Education)
	 Adults Learning
	 American Economic Review
	 American Journal of Sociology
	 Autlook (previously called: AUT Bulletin)
	 Basic Skills Bulletin
	 Bookseller
	 British Education Index
	 British Educational Research Journal
	 British Journal of Educational Psychology
	 British Journal of Educational Studies
	 British Journal of Educational Technology
	 British Journal of Psychology
	 British Journal of Sociology
	 British Journal of Sociology of Education
	 British Journal of Special Education
	 Broadsheet (City and Guilds of London Institute) website
	 Bulletpoint
	 Cambio 16
	 Cambridge Journal of Economics
	 Campaigns Newsletter (Child Poverty Action Group)
	 Case Notes (formerly: Parents and Schools)
	 Catholic Herald (website)
	 CBI Industrial Trends Survey
	 CEDEFOP Info
	 Centrepiece
	 Child Abuse Review
	 Child: Care, Health and Development
	 Child Education
	 Children and Society
	 Children Now (website)
	 Choice
	 Church Times
	 CJM (Criminal Justice Matters)
	 Community Care (website)
	 Computer Education
	 Computer Weekly (website)
	 Computing (website)
	 Counselling and Psychotherapy Research Journal (formerly: Counselling)
	 Current Sociology
	 Curriculum Journal
	 Deafness and Education International
	 Disability Now
	 Dot Net (.Net)
	 Drug Link
	 E-Learning Age: the magazine for the learning organisation (incorporating KM News)
	 E-Learning Today (formerly Interactive: Managing ICT in Schools)
	 Early Childhood Research and Practice
	 Early Education
	 Early Years Educator: EYE
	 Econometrics Journal
	 Economic Journal
	 Economic Policy Reforms: Going for Growth
	 Economic and Labour Market Review (formerly Economic Trends)
	 Economics of Education Review
	 Economist
	 Education 3-13
	 Education and Health
	 Education and Training Parliamentary Monitor
	 Education Economics
	 Education Journal
	 Education Review
	 Education Today (formerly: Educational Times)
	 Education Week (USA)
	 Educational and Child Psychology
	 Educational Computing and Technology
	 Educational Management Administration and Leadership (formerly Educational Management and Administration)
	 Educational Policy
	 Educational Research
	 Educational Researcher
	 Educational Review
	 Educational Studies
	 Employer's Law
	 Employment and Earnings
	 European Journal of Special Needs Education
	 European Journal of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP)
	 Evaluation
	 Evaluation and Research in Education
	 Evidence and Policy: A journal of Research Debate and Practice
	 Exceptional Children
	 L'Express
	 Forum for Promoting 3-19 Education
	 Government Computing
	 Lords Hansard
	 Commons Hansard
	 Harvard Business Review
	 Harvard Educational Review
	 Health and Safety Monitor
	 Health Service Journal
	 Higher Education: the international journal of higher education and educational planning
	 Higher Education Management and Policy
	 Higher Education Quarterly
	 Higher Education Review
	 Higher Quality
	 History
	 History Today
	 House Magazine
	 House of Commons Weekly Information Bulletin
	 Human Resource Management Journal
	 IDS Employment Law Brief
	 IDS HR Studies
	 IDS Pay Report (formerly IDS Report)
	 Improving Schools
	 Information Today
	 Information World Review
	 Interactive: Managing ICT in Schools (see E-Learning Today)
	 International Financial Statistics (IMF)
	 International Journal of Early Years Education
	 International Journal of Social Research Methodology
	 International Labour Review
	 IRS Employment Review (formerly: Industrial Relations Review and Report)
	 Journal of Communication Management
	 Journal of Computer Assisted Learning
	 Journal of Early Childhood Literacy
	 Journal of Early Childhood Research
	 Journal of Economic Literature
	 Journal of Economic Perspectives
	 Journal of Education and Work (formerly: British Journal of Education and Work)
	 Journal of Education Policy
	 Journal of Educational Research
	 Journal of Labor Economics
	 Journal of Librarianship and Information Science
	 Journal of Management Studies
	 Journal of Moral Education
	 Journal of Organisational Behaviour
	 Journal of Research into Special Educational Needs
	 Journal of Social Policy
	 Journal of Special Education
	 Journal of Vocational Education and Training
	 Junior Education
	 KM Review
	 Labour Force Survey Quarterly Supplement
	 Labour Market Statistics: First Release
	 Labour Market Trends (see Economic and Labour Market Review)
	 Labour Research
	 LDR (National College for School Leadership)
	 Linguist
	 Literacy (formerly Reading, Literacy and Language)
	 Literacy Today
	 Local Economy
	 Local Government Chronicle
	 London Gazette Supplement
	 London Review of Education
	 Management in Education
	 Management Learning
	 Management Today
	 Managing Information (Aslib)
	 Managing Schools Today (previously called: School Governor)
	 Marketing Week
	 The MJ: The Management Journal for Local Authority Business
	 Le Monde de I'Education
	 Monthly Digest of Statistics (ONS)
	 National Institute Economic Review
	 Nature
	 New Nation
	 New Scientist (website)
	 New Statesman
	 Newscheck (Careers and Occupational Information Centre)
	 Newsweek International
	 NFER News (National Foundation for Education Research)
	 Nursery and Childcare Market News
	 Nursery World
	 OECD Economic Outlook
	 OECD Economic Studies
	 Open Learning
	 Oxford Review of Economic Policy
	 Oxford Review of Education
	 PDT—Professional Development Today
	 People Management
	 Personal Computer World (website)
	 Personnel Today (website)
	 Le Point (website)
	 Policy and Politics
	 Policy Studies
	 Political Quarterly
	 Population Trends
	 Poverty (Child Poverty Action Group)
	 Practical Funding for Schools
	 Practical Research in Education (formerly Topic)
	 Private Eye
	 Professionalism in Practice (formerly: Professional Teacher)
	 Project
	 Project Manager Today
	 Prospect
	 Psychologist
	 Public
	 Public Policy and Administration
	 Public Policy Research (formerly New Economy)
	 Qualitative Research
	 Quality in Higher Education
	 Race and Class
	 Race Equality Teaching (formerly: Multicultural Teaching)
	 RE Today
	 Research in Education
	 Research in Post Compulsory Education
	 Research Intelligence: BERA Newsletter
	 Research into Higher Education Abstracts access via Educational Research Abstracts
	 Research Papers in Education
	 Review of Educational Research
	 Salisbury Review
	 School Effectiveness and School Improvement
	 School Leadership
	 School Leadership and Management (formerly School Organisation)
	 Scientific American (website)
	 Sex Education
	 Social Policy and Society
	 Social Sciences—News from ESRC
	 Sociological Review
	 Sociology of Education Abstracts see Educational Research Abstracts
	 Special Children
	 The Spectator (website)
	 Spectrum
	 Der Spiegel
	 Strategic HR Review
	 Studies in Higher Education
	 Studies in the Education of Adults (previously called: Studies in Adult Education)
	 Support for Learning
	 Sure Start
	 The Teacher
	 Teachers magazine (DCSF split into Primary and Secondary from 2001)
	 Teaching Thinking
	 Teaching Today (NASUWT)
	 Technology in Education
	 Technology, Pedagogy and Education (previously called: Journal of Information Technology for Teacher Education, 1992-2002)
	 Time Magazine
	 Time Out
	 Times Educational Supplement
	 Times Higher Education Supplement
	 Times Literary Supplement
	 Tips and Advice Internet
	 Topic see Practical Research in Education
	 Training and Employment (French Dimensions)
	 Training Journal (formerly Training Officer)
	 Tribune
	 UK Economic Accounts
	 Under Five (previously called: Contact or Under Five Contact)
	 The Voice (website)
	 Vulnerable Children and Youth Studies
	 Welfare Rights Bulletin
	 Which?
	 Whitehall and Westminster World
	 Work Employment and Society
	 Working Brief
	 Young People Now
	 Youth and Policy
	 0-19 Zero 2 Nineteen

Institute for Animal Health: Floods

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills 
	(1)  on how many occasions Category 3 drains at the Compton and Pirbright sites of the Institute for Animal Health flooded due to storm water in each of the last five years; and whether in each case there was a back-up of potentially contaminated water into bio-secure areas;
	(2)  how many  (a) full-time and  (b) part-time staff work at the Institute of Animal Health facility at Pirbright; how many buildings and other contractors have worked there in 2007; what bio-security measures are in place to prevent disease transmission by employees, students or contractors; and what other security checks are carried out in respect of individuals with access to the site.

Ian Pearson: These are matters for the Institute for Animal Health. I have drawn the attention of the Chairman of the Governing Board to the hon. Member's questions.

Prisoners: Education

Boris Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many prisoners attained  (a) a level 2,  (b) a level 3 and  (c) a higher than level 3 qualification while in prison in (i) England, (ii) London and (iii) each London borough in each year since 1997.

David Lammy: The information requested is not available as data were not collected centrally.
	The introduction of the Offender Learning and Skills Service (OLASS) from 31 July 2006 means that data on individual offender achievement will increasingly become available for adults, young offenders and juveniles in custody, in England. Data in the format requested will be available from spring 2008 for the academic year 2006/07.

Redundancy: Pay

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills with reference to the answer of 3 September 2007,  Official Report, column 1754W, on redundancy pay, how much was spent by his Department on voluntary redundancy payments in the last 12 months.

David Lammy: The position remains unchanged from the response I gave to the hon. Member on 3 September 2007,  Official Report, column 1754W.

Research: Science

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many scientific research prizes were issued by his Department in each year since 1997; and what their total value was.

Ian Pearson: The Department of Innovation, Universities and Skills and its relevant predecessor bodies have not issued any scientific research prizes since 1997.

Students: English Language

John Grogan: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the effect on the number of students taking up English for speakers of other languages courses of the implementation of the new funding system;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the effect on the geographical profile of English for speakers of other languages students of the implementation of the new fees structure.

Bill Rammell: The first return of learner data is not expected until December 2007, and this will help to develop an understanding of the implications of the Governments changes to ESOL policy for 2007/08 at a national as well as local level. The LSC and the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills are working very closely to analyse the full impact of the ESOL policy changes on demand, as well as on provider behaviour and we have commissioned additional impact assessment work to help us do this. The priority for the Government and the LSC is that public support is available to those who need it most, and we will continue to work towards this agenda.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Afghanistan: Detainees

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which NATO members currently involved in ISAF in Afghanistan do not have memoranda of understanding on the transfer of detainees with the Afghan authorities; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: We are aware of a bilateral memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Afghan Government and The Netherlands, Canada, Norway, and Denmark. The UK also has a bilateral MoU.
	Our MoU details the arrangements reached between the UK and Afghan Governments and sets out the responsibilities of both parties before and after the transfer to Afghan authorities of persons detained in Afghanistan by British forces.

Afghanistan: Politics and Government

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the UK has put forward a candidate for the position of UN Special Representative for Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: The contract of the current UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Tom Koenigs, runs until February 2008. He has announced his intention to step down. We, and other UN member states, are considering the issue of his successor, which is ultimately a decision for the UN Secretary-General.

Belarus: Sanctions

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his assessment is of the implementation of European Union sanctions on Belarus, with particular reference to the UK's compliance; what the total amount of assets frozen is by  (a) EU member states and  (b) the United Kingdom in line with these sanctions; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: The UK is firmly committed to the full implementation of all EU sanctions, along with our EU partners.
	EU member states do not systematically share detailed information concerning the value of funds they have identified and frozen. However, they are legally obliged to freeze all funds and economic resources belonging to persons listed under the sanctions regime. It is prohibited to make funds or economic resources available, directly or indirectly, to these persons.
	To date no funds have been identified in the UK in relation to EU sanctions on Belarus.

Bosnia: Radioactive Materials

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has made representations to his counterpart in Bosnia-Herzegovina on the theft of 60 radiation generators from nuclear medicine department storage in Banja Luka in the Entity of Republica Srpska in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

David Miliband: We are aware that on 8 November, 60 lead containers were stolen from the Banja Luka Institute for Medicine. Bosnian police have stated that this theft poses no danger to the public since the radioactive isotopes stored in the containers have expired. The police believe that the lead was stolen for resale. The Bosnian police and Interpol are investigating the theft. I have therefore not made representations on this issue.

Bosnia: Radioactive Materials

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has made representations to the International Atomic Energy Agency on the theft of 60 radiation generators from nuclear medicine department storage in Banja Luka in the Entity of Republica Srpska in Bosnia-Hezegovina.

David Miliband: I refer the right hon. Member to the reply I gave him today (UIN: 166145).

Burma: Sanctions

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his assessment is of the implementation of European Union sanctions on Burma, with particular reference to the UK's compliance; what the total amount of assets frozen is by  (a) EU member states and  (b) the United Kingdom in line with these sanctions; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: The UK is firmly committed to the full implementation of all EU Sanctions along with our EU partners.
	EU member states do not systematically share detailed information concerning the value of funds they have identified and frozen. However, they are legally obliged to freeze all funds and economic resources belonging to persons listed under the sanctions regime. It is prohibited to make funds or economic resources available, directly or indirectly, to these persons.
	The reported balance of UK frozen funds in relation to EU sanctions on Burma amounts to approximately £49,500.

China: Summit Conferences

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what preparations have been made for the EU-China Summit on 28 November; what topics he expects to be on the agenda for this summit; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: The UK has worked closely with the EU Presidency, Commission and Council Secretariat, and with other key member states, to work towards a successful EU-China Summit. I expect the summit to cover issues such as: a review of negotiations on an EU-China Partnership and Co-operation Agreement; discussion of the sectoral dialogues and bilateral agreements (including partnership on climate change and energy co-operation); economic and trade issues; human rights; and discussion of international and regional issues (including Burma and Africa).

Cote d'Ivoire: Sanctions

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his assessment is of the implementation of European Union sanctions on Cote d'Ivoire, with particular reference to the UK's compliance; what the total amount of assets frozen is by  (a) EU member states and  (b) the United Kingdom in line with these sanctions; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: The UK is firmly committed to the full implementation of all EU sanctions, along with our EU partners.
	EU member states do not systematically share detailed information concerning the value of funds they have identified and frozen. However, they are legally obliged to freeze all funds and economic resources belonging to persons listed under the sanctions regime. It is prohibited to make funds or economic resources available, directly or indirectly, to these persons.
	The reported balance of UK frozen funds amounts to £18,352.07, in relation to UN and EU sanctions on Cote d' Ivoire.

Croatia: Sanctions

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his assessment is of the implementation of European Union sanctions on Croatia, with particular reference to the UK's compliance; what the total amount of assets frozen is by  (a) EU member states and  (b) the United Kingdom in line with these sanctions; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: The UK is firmly committed to the full implementation of all EU sanctions, along with our EU partners.
	There are no EU financial sanctions imposed on Croatia. EU Common Position 2004/694/Common Foreign Security Policy imposed an asset freeze on individuals indicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. To date no funds have been identified in the UK.

Departmental Correspondence

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what percentage of inquiries received by his Department from the public were responded to within  (a) one week,  (b) 14 days,  (c) 28 days,  (d) two months and  (e) three months; and in what percentage of cases it took (i) over three months and (ii) over one year to respond.

Meg Munn: The percentage of general inquiries received by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office from members of the public and responded to within:
	
		
			   Percentage 
			 one week 59.2 
			 7 to 14 days 4.2 
			 14 to 28 days 5.6 
			 One to two months 19.7 
			 Two to three months 0.5 
			 Transferred to other Government departments or indecipherable 10.8 
		
	
	Unfortunately, I am unable to provide the hon. Member with statistics before 1 August 2007 as letters received before that date were not recorded.

Departmental Foreign Workers

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many  (a) EU foreign nationals and  (b) non-EU foreign nationals are employed by his Department.

Meg Munn: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office employs 12,788 staff overseas, of which 2,439 are UK-based and 10,349 are locally employed. UK-based staff are British citizens. We have no central records of the nationality of local staff.

Departmental Health Insurance

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many officials in  (a) his Department and  (b) each of its agencies have private health insurance provided as part of their employment package.

Meg Munn: No UK-based member of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) or its agencies has private health insurance provided as part of their employment package. FCO staff, like other civil servants, have access to the national health service in the UK. While serving overseas FCO staff are covered by an employee health care scheme which offers access to NHS standards of care. Those serving in the United States gain access to this standard of care through an in-country insurance scheme contracted for that purpose.
	FCO policy is that staff recruited locally by our missions overseas should be covered for medical care in accordance with local law and local good employer practice.

Departmental Orders and Regulations

Alan Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many regulations his Department has  (a) made and  (b) revoked in the last 12 months.

Meg Munn: In the period 1 November 2006 to 31 October 2007, there were 21 statutory instruments which were prepared by the Foreign and Commonwealth and made by the Queen in Privy Council. The information requested about which statutory instruments have been revoked in the last 12 months could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Publicity

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his Department and its agencies spent on staff working on  (a) marketing and  (b) branding in the last 12 month period for which figures are available.

Meg Munn: It would incur disproportionate cost to collate the information requested by the hon. Member to answer his question.

Deportation

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with which countries the UK is discussing repatriation arrangements with a view to signing new agreements for deportations; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: We have signed memorandums of understanding concerning the provision of assurances in respect of persons subject to deportation with Jordan, Libya and Lebanon. Arrangements allowing deportations with assurances are in place with Algeria.
	Our discussions with other countries are less advanced, and it would not be helpful to identify the countries concerned. We will update the House if and when we reach agreement.

Dudley Ankerson

Colin Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 19 November 2007,  Official Report, column 559W, on Dudley Ankerson, whether Mr. Dudley Ankerson's association with his Department has been confirmed in official documents published by his Department.

Meg Munn: The 2006 edition of The Diplomatic Service List, published by The Stationery Office, confirmed Dr. Dudley Ankerson as a member of HM diplomatic service.

Gaza: Fuels

Andy Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Israeli Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary on resuming fuel supplies for Gaza.

Kim Howells: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary raised Gaza with the Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, and the Defence Minister, Ehud Barak, during his recent visit to Israel, the occupied Palestinian territories and Egypt (17 to 20 November). My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary also stressed to the Israeli Foreign Minister, Tzipi Livni, the need to ensure that adequate supplies entered Gaza.

Gaza: Fuels

Andy Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the effect of the fuel blockade on Gaza.

Kim Howells: Following Israel's announcement of its intention to cut fuel supplies to Gaza, diesel and petrol imports have been cut by about 40 per cent.. So far, municipalities and hospitals are being prioritised for available fuel and are largely unaffected. Supplies of industrial fuel for Gaza's power station and cooking gas have not been affected. Our Consulate-General in Jerusalem and the office of the Department for International Development in Jerusalem are following the situation closely.

Iran: Nuclear Power

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Iranian nationals received training in Britain in nuclear-related disciplines in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: It is not possible to provide these figures, as universities are only required to supply data relating to the highest level of subject classification rather than a detailed course breakdown (e.g. number studying physics, rather than number studying nuclear physics). Similarly, universities are not obliged to provide nationality data, only the country of domicile.
	However, through the voluntary vetting scheme and now the academic technology approval scheme (ATAS), we do have the means, and have used it, to stop Iranian applications for proliferation-sensitive subjects where there are concerns. Under ATAS, non-European economic area students intending to undertake postgraduate study in the UK in areas which have been identified as sensitive need to apply for counter-proliferation clearance from the Government before taking up their study.

Iran: Sanctions

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his assessment is of the implementation of European Union sanctions on Iran, with particular reference to the UK's compliance; what the total amount of assets frozen is by  (a) EU member states and  (b) the United Kingdom in line with these sanctions; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: The UK is firmly committed to the full implementation of all EU sanctions, along with our EU partners.
	EU member states do not systematically share detailed information concerning the value of funds they have identified and frozen. However, they are legally obliged to freeze all funds and economic resources belonging to persons and entities listed under the sanctions regime. It is prohibited to make funds or economic resources available, directly or indirectly, to these persons and entities.
	The reported balance of UK frozen funds in relation to UN and EU sanctions on Iran amounts to £512,982,378.

Iran: Sanctions

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether it is the Government's policy that credit guarantees on British exports to Iran should be curtailed; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: The Government, through the Export Credits Guarantee Department (ECGD), are not progressing applications for new cover for Iran. No new export credit guarantees have been issued for Iran since September 2006. As part of their work to increase multilateral sanctions against Iran, the Government are discussing ways of denying Iran access to export credit finance.

Iraq: Christianity

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the government of Iraq on the persecution of Christians in that country.

Kim Howells: We recognise that Christians in Iraq, like all other communities, have been badly affected by the high levels of violence in the country. We continue to press the Iraqi government to take action to protect people regardless of faith or political persuasion and to take tough measures against those perpetuating the violence. I raised our concerns about the position of Iraqi Christians last month with the Iraqi Minister of Human Rights during her visit to the UK.

Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many personnel have been employed by private military security companies under contract to his Department in  (a) Iraq and  (b) Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: The number of personnel employed by companies under contract to the Government fluctuates during the contracted period as the Government's requirements change. Currently, Foreign and Commonwealth Office contracts require provision of 371 expatriate, third country national and local national personnel in Iraq and 530 expatriate, third country national and local national personnel in Afghanistan.

Islam: Internet

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the costs were of the Radical Middle Way website in each year for which figures are available.

Kim Howells: According to the organisers, the cost for the Radical Middle Way website for 2007-08 is £26,400. The total cost for website development from the Radical Middle Way's launch in February 2006 to its completion in March 2007 was £35,000.

Middle East

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish the itinerary of his recent visit to Israel and the occupied territories; and a list of his engagements.

Kim Howells: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary visited Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories on 17 to 19 November 2007. I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement made by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary on 20 November,  Official Report, columns 127-128WS, which details the meetings he undertook.

National Security

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the statement of the Prime Minster of 14 November 2007,  Official Report, columns 667-72, on national security, what estimate he has made of the cost of the roadshows of mainstream Islamic scholarship to be held  (a) in Britain and  (b) abroad announced by the Prime Minster in (i) 2007 and (ii) in each year for which figures are available; and how he plans to assess the effectiveness of these roadshows.

Kim Howells: The Government's contribution to the Radical Middle Way (RMW) in Britain project for financial year 2007-08 is £275,000, jointly funded by the Department for Communities and Local Government and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). Our contribution to the overseas element of RMW for financial year 2007-08 is £125,000. The total contribution from the Government for previous years, from RMW's launch in February 2006 to March 2007, was £412,129.24, jointly funded by the FCO and the Home Office.
	The effectiveness of the project has been, and will continue to be, evaluated through both quantitative (attendance, website hits and uptake of RMW material) and qualitative (interviews with participants, partners and audiences) measures.

National Security

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the statement of the Prime Minister of 14 November 2007,  Official Report, columns 667-72, on national security, if he will publish details of how the £400 million to be spent in the next three years by his Department on tackling radicalisation and promoting understanding overseas announced by the Prime Minister will be used; and how he plans to assess the effectiveness of this initiative.

Kim Howells: As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister said in his statement to the House on 14 November 2007,  Official Report, columns 667-72, the Government will report back on action overseas with other countries to counter extremism when we launch the full national security strategy.

North Korea: Sanctions

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his assessment is of the implementation of European Union sanctions on North Korea, with particular reference to the UK's compliance; what the total amount is of assets frozen by  (a) EU member states and  (b) the United Kingdom in line with these sanctions; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: The UK is firmly committed to the full implementation of all EU sanctions, along with our EU partners.
	EU sanctions on North Korea implement UN sanctions and to date no individuals or entities have been targeted for the assets freeze by the UN. Consequently the UK has not frozen any assets.

Nuclear Disarmament

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what reasons the UK voted against the resolution Towards a Nuclear-weapon-free World: Accelerating the Implementation of Nuclear Disarmament Commitments at the UN First Committee on Disarmament and International Security on 17 October 2007; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: The United Kingdom abstained on rather than voted against this resolution at the UN General Assembly's First Committee. The resolution contained a great deal that we would have been happy to endorse. However, we remained unable to support the text because it gave no recognition to the significant nuclear disarmament achievements of most nuclear weapons states since the end of the cold war. We made this clear in an oral explanation given at the time of the vote, which will be deposited in the Library of the House.

Nuclear Test Ban

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government are taking to encourage the governments of  (a) China,  (b) India and  (c) the USA to sign the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty.

Kim Howells: China and the US signed the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban treaty (CTBT) in 1996 but have not yet ratified it. India has neither signed nor ratified the treaty.
	The United Kingdom strongly supports the earliest possible entry into force of the CTBT. We continue to take every appropriate opportunity, both bilaterally and through the EU, to urge all states who have not yet done so to sign and/or ratify the CTBT without delay and without condition. We most recently took action with India in April 2007, with the US in September 2007, and agreed EU action with China in November 2007. The UK also continues to support the outreach activities of Ambassador Ramaker, the Special Representative of the ratifiers of the treaty, staff of the Provisional Technical Secretariat and the Executive Secretary of the CTBT. In addition, the UK actively participates in the annual events held under the provisions of article XIV of the treaty to facilitate entry into force.

Occupied Territories

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he visited a Jewish settlement in the occupied west bank during his recent visit to Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories; and if he will make a statement.

Kim Howells: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary informed the House that he did not visit any settlements during his recent visit to Israel, the occupied Palestinian territories and Egypt between 17 to 20 November. I refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary gave to him on 20 November, during Foreign and Commonwealth Office oral questions,  Official Report, columns 1089-1090.

Overseas Property

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what risk assessment his Department conducts in formulating advice to UK citizens purchasing property abroad;
	(2)  what criteria are used by his Department when conducting a risk assessment in formulating advice to UK citizens purchasing property abroad.

Meg Munn: Decisions on property purchases overseas are for the individuals concerned. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not get involved in purchases or disputes, nor can it offer legal advice to individuals planning to purchase property. We would always advise British citizens intending to purchase a property overseas to engage a local lawyer. Where we are aware of particular problems that have been encountered by significant numbers of purchasers we will provide general information in our travel advice for the country concerned. This information is based on the knowledge and experience of the relevant diplomatic posts.

Portugal: European Council

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations  (a) he and  (b) his ministerial colleagues have made to their (i) Portuguese and (ii) Belgian counterparts on the decision to split the December meeting of the European Council between Lisbon and Brussels.

David Miliband: My hon. Friend the Minister for Europe and UK officials have discussed the location of the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) with the Portuguese presidency. The Government prefer a single location for logistical and environmental reasons, but the location of any IGC is at the discretion of the presidency, while EU heads of state have agreed that all formal meetings of the European Council must take place in Brussels.
	Carbon emissions from all central Government ministerial and official air travel has been offset since April 2006.

Saudi Arabia: Rape

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Saudi Arabian government in the case of the rape victim who was recently sentenced to 200 lashes and six months in prison; and if he will make a statement.

Kim Howells: The Government have raised, and will continue to raise, this case with Saudi authorities.
	The facts to hand on this case are disturbing. We will seek clarification on next steps, not least in light of the court's view that media attention has increased the level of the sentence. We are also concerned to hear that her lawyer has had his licence revoked for defending her case.
	We urge the Saudi authorities to again review the case. Victims of sexual assault should not suffer further punishment.

Sudan: Electoral Law

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations the Government have made to the Government of Sudan on its progress towards the enactment of an electoral law.

Meg Munn: We had encouraged the National Congress Party and Sudanese People's Liberation Movement (SPLM), the two largest parties, to agree the electoral law for approval by the Sudanese Parliament. Since the SPLM's withdrawal from the Government of National Unity, we have been urging both sides to continue dialogue on their differences on the implementation of the comprehensive peace agreement, but the draft electoral law has not been one of the main sticking points.
	We have provided technical support including assistance to draft the electoral bill presented to the Sudanese Parliament, a visit for Sudanese election officials to observe the Scottish elections, and equipment for the National Constitutional Review Commission, the committee responsible for drafting the legislation.

Sudan: Sanctions

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his assessment is of the implementation of European Union sanctions on Sudan, with particular reference to the UK's compliance; what the total amount of assets frozen is by  (a) EU member states and  (b) the United Kingdom in line with these sanctions; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: The UK is firmly committed to the full implementation of all EU sanctions, along with our EU partners.
	EU member states do not systematically share detailed information concerning the value of funds they have identified and frozen. However, they are legally obliged to freeze all funds and economic resources belonging to persons listed under the sanctions regime. It is prohibited to make funds or economic resources available, directly or indirectly, to these persons.
	To date no funds have been identified in the UK in relation to UN or EU sanctions on Sudan.

Terrorism

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his Department's proposed role over the next three years in tackling radicalisation and promoting understanding overseas, as referred to in the Statement by the Prime Minister on 14th November 2007.

David Miliband: As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister said in his statement to the House on 14 November 2007,  Official Report, columns 667-672, the Government will report back on action overseas with other countries to counter extremism when we launch the full national security strategy.

UN Security Council

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what specific interim proposals for the reform of the UN Security Council the UK has proposed, as referred to in the Prime Minister's Mansion House speech of 12 November.

David Miliband: The UK is discussing permanent and interim reforms with a range of countries. The UK seeks a Security Council that is more representative of today's world, yet no less effective or capable of taking the tough decisions needed to address threats to international peace and security.

Zimbabwe: Sanctions

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his assessment is of the implementation of European Union sanctions on Zimbabwe, with particular reference to the UK's compliance; what the total amount of assets frozen is by  (a) EU member states and  (b) the United Kingdom in line with these sanctions; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: The UK is firmly committed to the full implementation of all EU sanctions, along with our EU partners.
	EU member states do not systematically share detailed information concerning the value of funds they have identified and frozen. However, they are legally obliged to freeze all funds and economic resources belonging to persons listed under the sanctions regime. It is prohibited to make funds or economic resources available, directly or indirectly, to these persons.
	The reported balance of UK frozen funds in relation to EU sanctions on Zimbabwe amounts to approximately £172,000.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

Admiralty House

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the council tax band is of the official ministerial residence in Admiralty House occupied by Lord Malloch Brown.

Edward Miliband: The official residences in Admiralty House are in Westminster City Council Council Tax band H.

Admiralty House

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster which Minister previously occupied the official ministerial residence in Admiralty House occupied by Lord Malloch Brown.

Edward Miliband: The official residence currently occupied by my right hon. Friend Lord Malloch Brown was most recently occupied by my right hon. Friend the Member for Kingston upon Hull, East (Mr. Prescott)

Admiralty House

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much was spent on  (a) repairs and  (b) furnishing or refurbishing in each of the official ministerial residences in Admiral House in each of the last three years.

Edward Miliband: Occupying departments are responsible for the relevant costs associated with the ministerial residences in Admiralty House.
	The Cabinet Office is responsible for costs associated with the common parts of Admiralty House as well as for maintaining the fabric of the entire building. These costs are not separately identifiable from the cost in relation to the whole building, which includes office space and meeting rooms.

Departmental Public Expenditure

William Hague: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster pursuant to the Winter Supplementary Estimates (HC 29), if he will break down the Security and Intelligence Agencies'  (a) main estimate and  (b) winter supplementary estimate provision by subhead in (i) near cash and (ii) non-cash terms.

Edward Miliband: I refer the right hon. Member to the answers given by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury to the right hon. Member for West Dorset (Mr. Letwin) on 24 October 2007,  Official Report, column 404W.

Influenza

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what preparations have taken place for the co-ordinated relaxation of specific  (a) regulations and  (b) targets during any future outbreak of pandemic influenza; which (i) regulations and (ii) targets are being considered; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: I have been asked to reply.
	Over the last 12 months and during exercise Winter Willow, Government Departments, devolved administrations and agencies have begun to identify regulations that may need to be relaxed to ensure that essential services are sustained during a pandemic and/or to manage the consequences of a pandemic.
	Regulations that have been identified will be kept under review as part of ongoing United Kingdom pandemic flu contingency planning.
	Any requirement to amend specific regulations or targets will depend upon the nature and scale of any pandemic. Unfortunately this information will only become available during the pandemic.
	It would therefore be unhelpful to focus on specific regulations or targets at this time.

Official Hospitality: Charities

Chris Grayling: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what Government policy is on the use of Government facilities for fundraising by registered charities; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Miliband: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Tunbridge Wells (Greg Clark) by the then Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Hilary Armstrong) on 22 March 2007,  Official Report, column 1099W.

Smith Institute

Chris Grayling: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the value was of invoices sent by the Cabinet Office to the Smith Institute  (a) since 27 June 2007 and  (b) in 2006-07.

Edward Miliband: The Cabinet Office did not send any invoices to the Smith Institute in the periods to which the hon. Gentleman refers.

Departmental Catering

Roger Williams: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what percentage of  (a) beef,  (b) lamb,  (c) pork and  (d) dairy products used in (i) the Cabinet Office and (ii) No.10 Downing Street were imported products in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Gillian Merron: I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement made on 8 November 2007,  Official Report, columns 19-20WS, by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Jonathan Shaw).

Departmental Foreign Workers

David Simpson: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many  (a) EU foreign nationals and  (b) non-EU foreign nationals are employed by his Office.

Gillian Merron: Checks on nationality are carried out on recruitment to the Cabinet Office (including the Prime Minister's Office). The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Public Sector: Computer Software

Gordon Banks: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what recent discussions he has had on the use of Linux Open source computer software in the public sector.

Gillian Merron: None. The Government's approach to Open Source was set out in my reply to the hon. Member for Falmouth and Camborne (Julia Goldsworthy) on 25 October 2007,  Official Report, column 486W.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Alcohol Disorder Zones

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made on the implementation of alcohol disorder zones under the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006; and if she will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: The regulations for Alcohol Disorder Zones were laid in Parliament on 21 November 2007. Subject to final approval, the regulations will commence in early January 2008.

Alternatives to Prison: Cannabis

Boris Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) antisocial behaviour orders,  (b) police cautions and  (c) official warnings for cannabis possession were issued in (i) England and (ii) each London borough in each year since 1997.

Vernon Coaker: Antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) first became available in April 1999. The number of ASBOs issued in each year from April 1999 up to December 2005 (latest available) in (i) England (ii) London and (iii) each London borough can be found in the following tables. The number of ASBOs issued in Greater London shown in tables 1 and 2 differs due to the basis on which the ASBOs have been counted. Table 1 shows the number of ASBOs based on the location of the court that issued them and table 2 shows the number of ASBOs based on the local authority area in which the boundary prohibitions apply.
	Data showing the number of offenders cautioned in England and London for all offences from 1997 to 2005 are in table 3. Data for 2006 will be available in late November 2007. The number of cautions issued in each London borough is not available, as police forces only supply cautions data for the whole of the force area.
	The available information on formal warnings for cannabis possession (now known as cannabis warnings) is given in table 4. The data relate to the number of recorded offences detected by this method and are not available prior to 2004-05.
	
		
			  Number of antisocial behaviour orders issued at all courts, as reported to the Home Office by the Court Service, in Greater London and England by year, April 1999 to December 2005 
			  Area  April 1999-May 2000  June-December 2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  Total issued April 1999-December 2005 
			 Greater London 9 19 15 21 139 441 528 1,172 
			 England 104 135 344 414 1,272 3,317 3,845 9,431 
			  Notes:  1. Previously issued data have been revised following joint Home Office/Court Service data reconciliation exercises. 2. Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. 
		
	
	
		
			  N umber of ASBOs issued at all courts, as reported to the Home Office by the Court Service, by period and where restrictions are imposed within a local authority area( 1)  within Greater London, up to 31 December 2005 
			 1 January to 31 December  
			  Greater London  1 April 1999 to 31 May 2000( 2)  1 June to 31 December 2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  1 April 1999 to 31 December 2005 
			 Greater London 9 19 15 21 140 441 532 1,177 
			 Barking and Dagenham n/a — — — 2 4 19 25 
			 Barnet n/a — 2 — 1 10 9 22 
			 Bexley n/a 2 — 6 4 4 6 22 
			 Brent n/a — — — 8 6 11 25 
			 Bromley n/a 1 — — 5 3 5 14 
			 Camden n/a 5 1 10 30 57 69 172 
			 City of London Corp n/a — — — — 10 6 16 
			 Croydon n/a 1 — — 7 8 10 26 
			 Ealing n/a — — — 1 14 9 24 
			 Enfield n/a — — — 2 4 15 21 
			 Greenwich n/a — 3 1 3 8 11 26 
			 Hackney n/a — 1 1 1 15 14 32 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham n/a — 2 — 4 12 16 34 
			 Haringey n/a — — — 5 34 25 64 
			 Harrow n/a — — — 1 12 2 15 
			 Havering n/a — — — 1 9 19 29 
			 Hillingdon n/a — — — — 18 36 54 
			 Hounslow n/a — — — 7 23 22 52 
			 Islington n/a — — — 10 6 10 26 
			 Kensington and Chelsea Royal Borough n/a — — — 1 9 7 17 
			 Kingston-on-Thames n/a — — — 4 4 5 13 
			 Lambeth n/a 1 2 1 2 20 20 46 
			 Lewisham n/a — 2 — 5 16 12 35 
			 Merton n/a — — 1 2 13 10 26 
			 Newham n/a — 2 — — 5 11 18 
			 Redbridge n/a — — — 1 8 9 18 
			 Richmond upon Thames n/a — — — 3 10 13 26 
			 Southwark n/a — — — 8 11 18 37 
			 Sutton n/a 3 — — 7 7 19 36 
			 Tower Hamlets n/a — — 1 3 16 36 56 
			 Waltham Forest n/a — — — — 15 11 26 
			 Wandsworth n/a — — — 6 12 12 30 
			 Westminster n/a 6 — — 6 38 35 85 
			 n/a = not available (1) This local authority area table differs from criminal justice system area (cjsa) tables in that an issuing court can be outside the area in which the restrictions have been imposed. For example, an issuing court may be in Kent (cjsa) but restrictions apply solely to a local authority area within London. (2) Between 1 April 1999 to 31 May 2000 data were collected on aggregate numbers only by police force area (pfa).  Notes: 1. Previously issued data have been revised following joint Home Office/Court Service data reconciliation exercises. 2. Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account. 
		
	
	—continued
	
		
			  Number of offenders cautioned for all offences, in England and London, 1997 to 2005 ( 1,3) 
			   1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005 
			 England 263,712 268,779 247,846 222,750 214,161 210,552 225,013 241,873 283,578 
			 London (2) 54,778 58,720 46,948 37,317 32,239 33,168 32,298 32,438 35,959 
			 (1) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (2) The London total is the number of offenders cautioned in the Metropolitan and City of London Police force areas. (3) From 1 June 2000 the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 came into force nationally and removed the use of cautions for persons aged under 18 and replaced them with reprimands and final warnings. These figures have been included in the totals. 
		
	
	
		
			  Offences detected by means of a cannabis warning( 1) 
			  Number of detections 
			  Area  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			 England 37,119 60,059 77,110 
			 London(2) 13,665 21,722 30,927 
			  London boroughs
			 Barking and Dagenham (3)— 347 588 
			 Barnet (3)— 343 461 
			 Bexley (3)— 163 218 
			 Brent (3)— 2,125 1,978 
			 Bromley (3)— 247 373 
			 Camden (3)— 564 1,205 
			 City of Westminster (3)— 1,762 3,371 
			 Croydon (3)— 447 783 
			 Ealing (3)— 826 1,591 
			 Enfield (3)— 678 1,471 
			 Greenwich (3)— 558 579 
			 Hackney (3)— 1,077 1,138 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham (3)— 409 735 
			 Haringey (3)— 922 1,540 
			 Harrow (3)— 308 408 
			 Havering (3)— 171 354 
			 Hillingdon (3)— 968 1,061 
			 Hounslow (3)— 353 635 
			 Islington (3)— 563 737 
			 Kensington and Chelsea (3)— 438 861 
			 Kingston upon Thames (3)— 114 204 
			 Lambeth (3)— 1,669 1,754 
			 Lewisham (3)— 614 922 
			 Merton (3)— 178 210 
			 Newham (3)— 1,001 776 
			 Redbridge (3)— 374 681 
			 Richmond upon Thames (3)— 141 220 
			 Southwark (3)— 1,245 1,549 
			 Sutton (3)— 157 190 
			 Tower Hamlets (3)— 547 1,004 
			 Waltham Forest (3)— 1,000 1,387 
			 Wandsworth (3)— 717 1,554 
			 Total 13,160 21,026 30,538 
			 (1) Prior to 16 January 2007 these were named 'Formal warnings for cannabis possession'. (2) includes the City of London police and the Metropolitan police service. (3) Data not available by borough for 2004-05.

Antisocial Behaviour

Boris Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average number of recorded incidents of anti-social behaviour for each police officer was in  (a) England,  (b) London and  (c) each London borough in each year since 1997.

Vernon Coaker: The information requested is not collected centrally. Antisocial behaviour is not, in itself, an offence as defined by statute. It is the outcome of incidents of antisocial behaviour that will be recorded as crimes by the police as appropriate e.g. criminal damage.

Antisocial Behaviour Orders: Lancashire

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many anti-social behaviour orders were issued in  (a) Ribble Valley and  (b) Lancashire in each year since 2001.

Vernon Coaker: holding answer 26 November 2007
	 The available information is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Number of ant -social behaviour orders issued at all courts, as reported to the Home Office by the Court Service, in the Lancashire Criminal Justice System area and Ribble Valley borough council( 1)  area by year, January 2001 to December 2005 
			  Area  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  Total issued January 2001 to December 2005 
			 Lancashire 11 13 54 126 148 352 
			 Ribble Valley BC(1) 1 — 2 3 6 12 
			 (1) The local authority area is derived from the area in which the boundary prohibitions apply. The court that issued an ASBO can be outside the area in which the prohibitions have been imposed. For example, an issuing court may be in the North Yorkshire Criminal Justice System area, but restrictions apply solely to a local authority area within Lancashire.  Notes: 1. Previously issued data have been revised following joint Home Office/Court Service data reconciliation exercises. 2. Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  Source: Prepared by RDS-OCJR

Arson: Young People

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of arson were carried out by people under the age of 18 years who were convicted of such offences in each police force area in each year since 1997.

Vernon Coaker: The information requested is not held centrally. Offences of arson recorded by the police are collected by the Home Office but details of the age of the alleged offenders of such offences are not available.
	Statistics on those convicted for arson offences are held by the Ministry of Justice.

Crimes of Violence: Alcoholic Drinks

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) incidents of violence against the person and  (b) police emergency call-outs resulting from incidents occurring (i) on and (ii) in the vicinity of premises licensed to sell alcohol for consumption on the premises under the Licensing Act 1964 there were in each year since 1997 in England and Wales, broken down by police force area.

Vernon Coaker: The Home Office collects data on the number of offences of violence against the person recorded by the police. However, no information is collected centrally on the location of such incidents. Details of the location for emergency call-outs is not collected centrally.

Firearms: North East Region

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many incidents involving ( a) replica firearms,  (b) air rifles and  (c) BB guns have been reported in (i) Teesside, (ii) the north-east and (iii) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency in each of the last five years.

Vernon Coaker: Available information is given in the following table in which  (a) 'replica firearms' are denoted as imitation firearms and  (b) air rifles are incorporated within the figures for offences involving air weapons.
	 (c) Statistics on the number of offences involving BB guns have only been collected separately since April 2004. Data prior to that date are not available centrally.
	Data collected centrally for recorded crime involving firearms in England and Wales are only available at police force area level. Information on Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland is therefore included within the north-east region which includes Cleveland, Northumbria and Durham police forces.
	
		
			  Crimes recorded by Cleveland police and the north-east region( 1)  police force area in which firearms were reported to have been used ,by type of weapon, 2001-02 to 2005-06 
			  Weapon type  2001-02( 2)  2002-03( 3)  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			  Cleveland  
			 Imitation firearms 3 6 22 20 30 
			 Air weapons 280 283 361 305 173 
			 BB guns (4)— (4)— (4)— 19 29 
			   
			  North east region( 1)  
			 Imitation firearms 43 51 147 147 109 
			 Air weapons 879 806 887 739 516 
			 BB guns (4)— (4)— (4)— 111 91 
			 (1) North east region includes Cleveland, Durham and Northumbria police forces. (2) Figures for some crime categories may have been inflated by some police forces implementing the principles of the National Crime Recording Standard before 1 April 2002. (3) The National Crime Recording Standard was introduced on 1 April 2002.Figures for some crime categories may have been inflated by this. (4) Figures are not available centrally. Data were collected separately since April 2004.

Human Trafficking: EC Action

Lorely Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her policy is on the EU anti-trafficking hotline.

Vernon Coaker: We fully recognise the need for trans-national work to combat human trafficking and welcome the continued efforts of the European Union in this area. However, we foresee some difficulties with a proposed EU hotline, including issues relating to the management and dissemination of information received and language difficulties. The value of an EU hotline over and above national arrangements and existing structures would have to be demonstrated.

Human Trafficking: Prostitution

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of human trafficking for sexual purposes have been discovered in each of the last three years; from which countries the persons arrived; and how many successful prosecutions resulted.

Vernon Coaker: From 2003 to date, the Poppy Project has supported a total of over 253 women who were accepted as being victims of trafficking. These victims have their origins in a number of countries, however the top five countries of origin for referrals to the project are Lithuania, Albania, Nigeria, Thailand, and China.
	The nationality of those convicted of trafficking and their victims are broadly similar with most originating from Eastern Europe, Africa, the Far East, the United Kingdom and South America.
	Since the commencement of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 there have been 67 convictions for trafficking for sexual exploitation.

Licensing: Alcoholic Drinks

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many licences to sell alcohol were revoked in each year since 1997 as a result of the sale of alcohol to persons under the age of 18 years in England and Wales, broken down by  (a) police force area and  (b) local authority area.

Gerry Sutcliffe: I have been asked to reply.
	This information is not held centrally.
	Past and future statistical bulletins on licences to sell alcohol include the number of licences revoked, but do not indicate why. Licences may be revoked for a number of reasons or a variety of factors, including sales to children.

Licensing: Alcoholic Drinks

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many licences to sell alcohol were suspended for 48 hours in each year since 1997 as a result of the sale of alcohol to persons under the age of 18 years in England and Wales, broken down by  (a) police force area and  (b) local authority area.

Gerry Sutcliffe: I have been asked to reply.
	The offence of persistently selling alcohol to children which can lead to a suspension of the permission to sell alcohol for 48 hours was introduced only in April 2007. No records are currently held centrally of the number of such actions taken.

Police and Justice Act 2006

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to implement sections 19 to 21 of the Police and Justice Act 2006.

Tony McNulty: There is no date set yet for the commencement of Sections 19 to 21 of the Police and Justice Act 2006. While not explicitly reviewing the role of partnerships or Overview & Scrutiny Committees and Community Call for Action, local accountability and local involvement arrangements are being reviewed by Sir Ronnie Flanagan as part of his wider review of policing. This review is scheduled to be published in the new year. Work will be taken forward thereafter to implement these sections.

Police: Finance

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much on average a band D council tax payer in London paid towards policing costs in  (a) 1996-97,  (b) 1997-98,  (c) 1998-99 and  (d) 1999-2000; and if she will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 22 November 2007
	 The information requested is set out in the following table:
	
		
			  Metropolitan Band D council tax 
			   £ 
			 1996-97 56.00 
			 1997-98 63.27 
			 1998-99 76.48 
			 1999-2000 82.51 
			  Source:  DCLG

Police: Finance

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will make a statement on levels of police funding for North Yorkshire.

Tony McNulty: North Yorkshire police authority, like every other police authority in England and Wales, has received a sustained increase in police funding over the last 10 years. Total grants to North Yorkshire have increased by nearly £27 million (42.9 per cent.) since 1997-98.

Police: Road Traffic Control

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many roadside checks for  (a) speed,  (b) use of seat belts and child restraints,  (c) vehicle safety and roadworthiness and  (d) influence of alcohol or drugs were conducted by each police force in each of the last three years.

Vernon Coaker: This information is not collected centrally.

Police: Rural Areas

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she introduced the rural policing grant; for how long a period it applies; how many police officer posts it has created; and how such posts will be funded once the grant ceases.

Tony McNulty: The rural policing fund was introduced part way through 2000-01 when £15 million was made available to enhance the policing service in rural areas at no cost to the metropolitan forces. From 2001-02 the Fund rose to £30 million per annum benefiting 31 forces. All shire forces benefited except Cleveland, Hertfordshire, Nottinghamshire and South Wales.
	In 2006-07 four former specific grants including the rural policing fund were amalgamated into a single special formula grant which can be used for any purpose.

Police: Telephone Services

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the single non-emergency number in the five first wave areas;
	(2)  what representations she has received on funding for the single non-emergency number;
	(3)  how much her Department has spent on the single non-emergency number.

Tony McNulty: Following consideration of the assessment of the programme Ministers have decided not to continue to directly fund the live single non-emergency areas but will continue to provide funding to support the national 101 routing infrastructure to ensure that the number remains available for use by local areas wishing to implement or develop their own locally funded 101 service.
	Ministers acknowledge the many benefits achieved by the live areas. Evaluation and assessment of the 101 service found that it had successfully demonstrated the benefits it was intended to achieve around improving access to and delivery of local community safety services. Importantly, through better partnership working and information about what problems are happening where, it has also helped local police and councils to target their resources more effectively and efficiently. It is hoped that the lessons learned and good practice will be mainstreamed into local operations wherever possible.
	Representations on funding were received from the existing live police and council partnership areas. These representations were taken into careful consideration in deciding the future for the 101 service.
	The Home Office will have spent £41 million to the end of 2007-08 on the development, implementation, support and live operation of the 101 service. The good practice and lessons learned for improving local services from this work, together with continued funding support for the national 101 telephony infrastructure, will help to inform and support further improvements to community safety and the maintenance or development of locally funded 101 services in local areas.

Robbery: Mobile Phones

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of robberies recorded involved the theft of a mobile telephone in each year since 1997.

Vernon Coaker: The information requested is not collected centrally. The Home Office collects statistics on offences recorded by the police but thefts of mobile phones cannot be separately identified from thefts of other items.

Security Guards: Licensing

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many security firms have made representations to her Department on the Security Industry Authority's licences; and what those representations were.

Vernon Coaker: The Home Office receives regular and frequent correspondence on a range of matters relating to the work and remit of the Security Industry Authority (SIA). The representations cover a range of issues. Over the past year the most frequent subjects have been inquiries about individual licence applications, and responses to a consultation exercise on the future options for the licensing of private investigators.

Serious Organised Crime Agency: Pensions

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what undertakings were given at the time of the formulation of the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) to  (a) serving and  (b) former police officers or their representative body, the Public and Commercial Services Union, on the effect that SOCA would have on access to the police pension on attaining 30 years service or 50 years of age; and if she will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: holding answer 20 November 2007
	At the time of the formulation of the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) it was stated that ex-police officers could retire from SOCA at whatever age their existing pension scheme allowed them to take their pension. Any decision to work beyond that point would be entirely optional and subject to mutual agreement between the individual and SOCA. Ex-police officers could retire from SOCA, take their lump sum and after a short break rejoin SOCA; but they would not be able to draw a full pension and a salary once they rejoined if this took them over their previous salary (i.e. abatement would apply). This was set out in SOCA Update Issue 13 and reiterated by the Director-General Designate at several road shows across the country.
	It should be noted that SOCA is not a police force; however, arrangements were put in place to ensure that any police officer joining SOCA on 1 April 2006 under the Transfers to SOCA Scheme 2006, having been previously directly recruited into the NCS/NCIS on or before 31 March 2006, retained their entitlement to police allowances and membership of the police pension scheme.

Sexual Assault Referral Centres: Finance

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what direct financial support her Department gives to each sexual assault referral centre in England and Wales; whether it is her policy that local police authorities should share in the costs of  (a) establishing and  (b) running sexual assault referral centres; what her policy is on whether the sexual assault referral centres should be partly financed by primary care trusts; what discussions she has had with the Department of Health about the centres; what guidelines her Department issues on (i) capital set up and (ii) running costs of the establishment of policies and procedures for sexual assault referral centres; what steps her Department is taking to encourage the establishment of sexual assault referral centres in England and Wales; how many sexual assault referral centres there are in England and Wales; and how they are financed.

Vernon Coaker: There are currently 19 Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs) with a further 17 centres under development with the support of Home Office funding. The existing SARCs are primarily funded by police forces and primary care trusts, although funding sources and operating costs vary across the SARC network. The direct financial support for SARCs provided by the Home Office is set out in the attached table. In 2007-08 there have been three funding streams available to SARCs: capital start-up grants for new SARCs, grants to support the development of good practice in existing SARCs, and grants for independent sexual violence advisers based in SARCs.
	"National Service Guidelines on Developing SARCs", published jointly by the Home Office and the Department of Health in 2005, make clear that the primary responsibility for establishing and running SARCs sits with police forces and Primary Care Trusts, although they also encourage Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships to support the development of SARCs through local area agreements. These guidelines also provide guidance on the set up and running costs of SARCs. Guidance on policies and procedures is provided in "Getting Started" guidance produced by the National SARC Steering Group and updated in 2006. The Home Office also employs an expert consultant in SARC development to assist those setting up SARCs with establishing partnerships, costing proposals and developing operating procedures.
	The Home Office and Department of Health engage in regular discussions about SARC development and are working in partnership to develop guidance for primary care trusts and local authorities on commissioning services for victims of sexual violence, including SARCs. Ministers from both Departments sit on the Inter-Departmental Ministerial Group on Sexual Offending, which includes the development of SARCs within its remit.
	The Government have encouraged the development of SARCs through the publication of guidelines, the provision of start-up funding, the work of the expert consultant, and practitioner workshops. In October the Government published in draft the National Indicator Set for Local Strategic Partnerships which will be in operation from 2008-09. This included an indicator on access to support services for victims of serious sexual offences, including services provided by SARCs. We have also made clear through the new Making Communities Safer public service agreement that tackling serious sexual offences, including through the provision of support services to victims to reduce harm, is a priority for the Government.
	
		
			  Home Office funding allocation to Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs) in England and Wales 
			  Police force area  SARC location  Funding from the Home Office in 2007-08 (£)  Start-up funding from the Home Office in previous years (£) 
			 Avon and Somerset Bristol (under development)(1) — 70,000 in 2006-07 
			 
			 Cheshire Crewe or Warrington (under development)(1) 75,000 (start-up) — 
			 
			 Cleveland Middlesbrough — 70,000 in 2005-06 
			 
			 Devon and Cornwall Plymouth (under development)(1) 75,000 (start-up) — 
			  Exeter (under development)(1) — 70,000 in 2006-07 
			 
			 Derbyshire Codner 23,500 (counsellors) 20,000 in 2003-04 
			   20,000 (Independent Sexual Violence Adviser (ISVA))  
			 
			 Dorset Bournemouth (under development)(1) — 70,000 in 2006-07 
			 
			 Durham Durham 18,996 (counselling) 70,000 in 2005-06 
			 
			 Dyfed-Powys Carmarthen — 70,000 in 2006-07 
			 
			 Gloucestershire Gloucester (under development)(1) 75,000 (start-up) — 
			 
			 Greater Manchester Manchester 24,675 (database) — 
			   20,000 (ISVA)  
			 
			 Gwent Risca (near Newport) 20,000 (ISVA) 70,000 in 2005-06 
			 
			 Hampshire Portsmouth 25,000 (young person's health care support worker) 50,000 in 2003-04 
			20,000 in 2006-07 
			 
			 Humberside Hull (under development)(1) 75,000 (start-up) — 
			 
			 Kent Dartford 25,000 (equipment and training) 30,000 in 2003-04 
			 
			 Lancashire Preston 20,000 (ISVA) — 
			   24,623 (child advocate and training)  
			 
			 Leicestershire Leicester — — 
			 
			 London Metropolitan Camberwell 20,000 (ISVA) — 
			  Paddington 20,000 (ISVA) — 
			   10,000 (client booklet) — 
			  Whitechapel 20,000 (ISVA) — 
			 
			 Merseyside Liverpool (under development)(1) 75,000 (start-up) — 
			 
			 Norfolk Norwich (under development)(1) — 40,000 in 2006-07 
			 
			 North Wales Colwyn Bay (under development)(1) — 70,000 in 2005-06 
			 
			 Northumbria Newcastle/Sunderland 25,000 (marketing materials and forensics) — 
			 
			 Nottinghamshire Nottingham — 70,000 in 2006-07 
			 
			 South Wales Merthyr Tydfil Cardiff (under development)(1) 20,000 (ISVA) 70,000 in 2004-05 
			70,000 in 2006-07 
			 
			 South Yorkshire Rotherham (open for children, under development(1) for adults) 75,000 (start-up) 70,000 in 2006-07 (children) 
			 
			 Staffordshire Stafford (under development)(1) — 26,000 in 2005-06 
			 
			 Sussex Crawley (under development)(1) — 70,000 in 2006-07 
			 
			 Thames Valley Aylesbury (under development)(1) — 70,000 in 2006-07 
			 
			 West Midlands Walsall 20,000 (ISVA) 50,000 in 2003-04 
			 
			 West Yorkshire Kirklees (under development)(1) — 70,000 in 2005-06 
			 
			  Calderdale (under development)(1) — 70,000 in 2005-06 
			 
			 Wiltshire Swindon 20,000 (ISVA) 70,000 in 2005-06 
			   25,000 (crisis workers)  
			 
			 England and Wales — 806,794 1,426,000 
			 (1) Under development means that funding has been provided from the Home Office for start-up costs but the SARC is still in the process of setting up.

Speed Limits: Cameras

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many mobile camera speed checks were carried out in each police force area in each of the last five years.

Vernon Coaker: This information is not collected centrally.

Terrorism: Control Orders

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) males and  (b) females issued with control orders under the Prevention of Terrorism Act 2005 were resident in Southend in each year since the Act came into force, broken down by age group.

Tony McNulty: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given on 26 November 2007,  Official Report, column 203W.

Theft: Bicycles

Boris Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the ratio between the  (a) recorded and  (b) actual levels of theft of bicycles.

Tony McNulty: The British Crime Survey (BCS) routinely collects information on whether victims report crimes to the police and these are published annually by the Home Office in their statistics bulletin 'Crime in England and Wales'. The most recent published figures show that 36 per cent. of BCS incidents of bicycle theft were reported to the police.

Video Games: Young People

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offences were recorded in respect of retailers selling video games or DVDs to underage customers in England and Wales in each year since 1997, broken down by police force area; how many  (a) police cautions and  (b) fines were issued; and what the average fine levied was.

Vernon Coaker: Information on the number of recorded offences of retailers selling video games or DVDs to underage customers is not collected centrally. This is a summary offence and is not included in the police recorded crime statistics.
	Statistics on the number of police cautions issued, the number of fines imposed and the average fines have been provided by the Ministry of Justice and are given in the following table for 1997 to 2005. Data for 2006 are due for publication in late November.
	
		
			  Offenders( 1)  cautioned and fined for supplying video recording of classified work in breach of classification( 2) 
			   Number of police cautions issued  Number of fines imposed  Average fine amount (£) 
			 1997 1 15 519 
			 1998 — 18 440 
			 1999 — 33 798 
			 2000 — 16 1,028 
			 2001 — 9 1,378 
			 2002 — 12 1,079 
			 2003 1 14 921 
			 2004 — 6 775 
			 2005 — 8 489 
			 (1) These data are on a principal offence basis. (2) Video Recording Act 1984 S.11 as amended by the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 19945.88(4).  Note: These figures have been drawn from administrative data systems. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system.  Source: RDS-NOMS, Ministry of Justice

CHILDREN, SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES

Adult Education: Parents

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families whether he has commissioned research on the relationship between adult and community learning and the educational attainment of the children of those involved in such learning.

David Lammy: holding answer 15 November 2007
	 I have been asked to reply:
	Within Adult Safeguarded Learning, the Family Learning programme involves parents in supporting their children's learning and aims to develop the skills and knowledge of both the adult and the child. We are committed to widening family and inter-generational learning and to building links between adult learning and our agendas on parenting, children and extended schools. We have not commissioned research which looks specifically at the relationship between adult and community learning and child attainment but the Centre for Research on the Wider Benefits of Learning (which the Department manages jointly with DCSF) has produced a number of reports on the relationship between parental learning in general and children's education: "A model of the inter-generational transmission of educational success" by Leon Feinstein, Kathryn Duckworth and Ricardo Sabates (2004); "Does education have an impact on mothers' educational attitudes and behaviours?" by Leon Feinstein and Ricardo Sabates (2006); and "Are there effects of mothers' post-16 education on the next generation?" by Leon Feinstein and Kathryn Duckworth (2006). The Centre for the Economics of Education (also jointly managed by DIUS and DCSF) has also published research on family learning such as "Parent's education and child's education: a natural experiment" by Arnaud Chevalier (2004).

Children in Care

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  how many babies aged under one year were taken into social care as a consequence of  (a) interim full care orders and  (b) police or emergency protection orders in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many  (a) babies,  (b) children and  (c) young people were taken into care in each region in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what estimate he has made of the average time taken to place children for adoption in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

Kevin Brennan: The numbers of children looked after who were taken into care in England, aged under one year and who were subject to interim and full care orders or police or emergency protection orders, during the years ending 31 March 1997 to 2007, are shown in table 1.
	Information on the number of children looked after who were taken into care, broken down by age, in each region since 1997 is not readily available. However, information on the number of children who started to be looked after by age on starting and by local authority, during the years ending 31 March 2003 to 2007, has been published and can be found respectively in tables C1 and LAC1 at:
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000741/index. shtml
	A copy of table C1 (table 2) follows and an edited version of table LAC1 (table 3) showing regional figures only is also shown. A local authority level table, including regional breakdowns, on children who started to be looked after broken down by age on starting for 2007 will be published at the same web address on 29 November.
	Information on the average time between a child entering care and the various stages of the adoption process has only been published since 2004 and is therefore not readily available prior to that. The following table 4 is derived from table E3 of the previously mentioned publication, and summarises the average time between entry into care and placement for adoption for years ending 31 March 2004 to 2007.
	
		
			  Table 1: Children aged under one year who were taken into care on an interim or full care order and under a police or emergency protection order in the years ending 31 March 1997 to 2007( 1,2,3,4) , England 
			  Number 
			   Children who were taken into care aged under one 
			  Year ending 31 March  All children who were taken into care aged under one( 5)  Under an interim or full care order  Under a police or emergency protection order 
			 1997 1,300 740 600 
			 1998 1,400 830 610 
			 1999 1,600 930 690 
			 2000 1,900 1,100 770 
			 2001 1,800 1,200 610 
			 2002 1,900 1,200 730 
			 2003 2,000 1,300 660 
			 2004 2,000 1,300 710 
			 2005 2,000 1,300 730 
			 2006 2,100 1,400 720 
			 2007 2,100 1,500 580 
			 (1) Source DfES, SSDA903 return which between in 1997 and since 2004 covered all children looked after by local authorities. SSDA903 covered only a one-third sample of children looked after by local authorities between 1998 and 2003. (2) Figures for children looked after in this table exclude agreed series of short-term placements. (3) To maintain the confidentiality of each individual child, data at national level are rounded to the nearest 100 if they exceed 1,000 to the nearest 10 otherwise. (4) Historical data may differ from older publications. This is mainly due to the implementation of amendments and corrections sent by some local authorities after the publication date of previous materials. (5) Only the first occasion on which a child started to be looked after in the year has been counted. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Table C1: Children who started to be looked after during the years ending 31 March 2003 to 2007 by gender, age on starting, category of need and ethnic origin( 1,2,3,4) , England 
			  Number and percentage 
			   Number  Percentage 
			   2003( 5)  2004( 6)  2005( 6)  2006( 6)  2007( 6)  2003( 5)  2004( 6)  2005( 6)  2006( 6)  2007( 6) 
			 All children who started to be looked after(1,2,3) 24,900 25,000 24,900 24,600 23,700 100 100 100 100 100 
			
			 Gender 24,900 25,000 24,900 24,600 23,700 100 100 100 100 100 
			 Male 13,500 13,400 13,300 13,300 13,100 54 53 53 54 55 
			 Female 11,500 11.600 11,600 11,300 10,700 46 47 47 46 45 
			
			 Age on starting (years) 24,900 25,000 24,900 24,600 23,700 100 100 100 100 100 
			 Under 1 3,900 4,100 4,300 4,300 4,400 16 16 17 18 19 
			 1 to 4 4,700 4,600 4,500 4,300 4,300 19 18 18 17 18 
			 5 to 9 4,800 4,400 4,300 4,100 3,900 19 18 17 17 16 
			 10 to 15 10,500 10.500 10,100 9,800 9.200 42 42 40 40 39 
			 16 and over 1,000 1,400 1,700 2,100 1,900 4 6 7 9 8 
			
			 Category of need(7) 24,900 25,000 24,900 24,600 23,700 100 100 100 100 100 
			 Abuse or neglect 12,200 12,000 12,100 11,500 11,300 49 48 48 47 48 
			 Child's disability 800 730 780 820 710 3 3 3 3 3 
			 Parent's illness or disability 1,900 1,900 1,600 1,500 1,300 8 7 7 6 5 
			 Family in acute stress 2,700 2,700 2,900 2,800 2,800 11 11 12 11 12 
			 Family dysfunction 3,200 3.400 3,100 3.200 3,300 13 13 13 13 14 
			 Socially unacceptable behaviour 1,700 1,600 1,400 1.300 1,200 7 6 5 5 5 
			 Low income 80 70 80 70 80 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Absent parenting 2,400 2,700 2.900 3.400 3.100 10 11 12 14 13 
			
			 Ethnic origin 24,900 25,000 24,900 24,600 23,700 100 100 100 100 100 
			  White 
			 White British 18,300 17,700 17.400 16,600 16.000 73 71 70 67 67 
			 White Irish 240 140 160 150 130 1 1 1 1 1 
			 Any other White background 880 870 850 820 860 4 3 3 3 4 
			  Mixed 
			 White and Black Caribbean 670 710 680 650 580 3 3 3 3 2 
			 White and Black African 190 210 200 190 180 1 1 1 1 1 
			 White and Asian 320 290 260 280 290 1 1 1 1 1 
			 Any other mixed background 680 760 760 760 700 3 3 3 3 3 
			  Asian or Asian British 
			 Indian 160 160 130 160 130 1 1 1 1 1 
			 Pakistani 270 280 350 290 340 1 1 1 1 1 
			 Bangladeshi 140 150 170 160 170 1 1 1 1 1 
			 Any other Asian background 170 320 540 800 790 1 1 2 3 3 
			  Black or Black British 
			 Caribbean 760 780 690 710 610 3 3 3 3 3 
			 African 1,100 1,500 1,600 1.600 1,400 5 6 6 7 6 
			 Any other Black background 390 420 450 460 450 2 2 2 2 2 
			  Other ethnic groups 
			 Chinese 60 90 80 120 170 0 0 0 0 1 
			 Any other ethnic group 580 620 690 800 920 2 2 3 3 4 
			 (1) Source SSDA903 return on children looked after. (2) Only the first occasion on which a child started to be looked after in the year has been counted. (3) Figures exclude children looked after under an agreed series of short-term placements. (4) Historical data may differ from older publications This is mainly due to the implementation of amendments and corrections sent by some local authorities after the publication date of previous materials. (5) Figures are derived from the SSDA903 one third sample survey. (6) Figures are taken from the SSDA903 return which, since 2003-04 has covered all children looked after. (7) The most applicable category of the eight "Need Codes" (i.e. the reason why the child is receiving social services) at the time the child was taken into care rather than necessarily the reason they are looked after. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 3: Table LAC1: Children who started to be looked after during the years ending 31 March 2003 to 2007( 1,)( )( 2,)( )( 3,)( )( 4) , England 
			  Number 
			   2003( 5)  2004( 6)  2005( 6)  2006( 6)  2007( 6) 
			 England 24,900 25,000 24,900 24,600 23,700 
			   
			  Region 
			 North-east 1,310 1,480 1,440 1,480 1,440 
			 North-west 3,500 3,640 3,690 3,590 3,490 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 2,670 2,360 2,550 2,400 2,460 
			 East Midlands 1,620 1,720 1,540 1,540 1,480 
			 West Midlands 2,990 2,690 2,790 2740 2,760 
			 East of England 2,130 2,310 2,140 2,070 1,900 
			 London 5,020 5,410 5,270 5,400 5,050 
			 Inner London 2,480 2,680 2,340 2,380 2,110 
			 Outer London 2,550 2,730 2,930 3,020 2,940 
			 South-east 3,120 2,900 3,160 3,180 3,040 
			 South-west 2,490 2,500 2,330 2,190 2,110 
			 (1) Source SSDA903 return on children looked after. (2) Only the first occasion on which a child started to be looked after in the year has been counted. (3) Figures exclude children looked after under an agreed series of short term placements. (4) Historical data may differ from older publications. This is mainly due to the implementation of amendments and corrections sent by some local authorities after the publication date of previous materials. (5) Figures are derived from the SSDA903 one-third sample survey. (6) Figures are taken from the SSDA903 return which since 2003-04 covered all children looked after. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 4: Average time between child starting to be looked after and being placed for adoption for years ending 31 March 2004 to 2007, England 
			  Years:months 
			  Age at start of period of care  2004  2005  2006  2007  Average time between entry into care and adoption placement for all years 
			 All ages 1:8 1:8 1:8 1:8 1:8 
			   
			 Under 1 1:3 1:3 1:4 1:5 1:4 
			 1 1:10 2:0 2:0 2:0 2:0 
			 2 2:1 2:0 2:0 2:0 2:0 
			 3 2:1 2:2 2:2 2:3 2:2 
			 4 2:4 2:4 2:2 2:4 2:4 
			 5 2:3 2:4 2:6 2:3 2:4 
			 6 2:5 2:10 2:6 3:0 2:8 
			 7 and over 2:9 2:7 2:8 2:11 2:9 
			  Source: SSDA903 return on children looked after

Children in Care: Greater London

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many children in the care of local authorities in Greater London were housed outside the borough responsible for their care in the latest period for which figures are available.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested can be found in table 22 of the statistical volume entitled Children Looked After by Local Authorities, Year Ending 31 March 2006 accessible at:
	http://www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/VOL/v000721/index.shtml
	An edited version of table 22 is shown as follows:
	
		
			  Edited version of table 22: Children looked after at 31 March 2006 by placement in or out of local authority's area at 31 March 2006( 1,2,3,4,5,6) —England 
			  Number 
			   Children for whom local authority is responsible  Placement of children  
			   All children( 3)  Placed within LA boundary( 3)  Placed outside LA boundary( 3)  Area of placement unknown( 3,4)  External children placed within LA boundary( 5)  All children placed within LA boundary( 6)  Net gain of children by responsible LA( 6) 
			 London 11,770 4,240 ,980 550 4,510 8,750 -3,020 
			 Inner London 5,750 1,720 3,740 280 1,580 3,300 -2,440 
			 Camden 345 95 245 5 60 150 -190 
			 City of London 20 0 20 0 — — -20 
			 Hackney 465 125 300 40 120 245 -225 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 385 130 230 25 25 155 -230 
			 Haringey 480 175 295 10 175 350 -130 
			 Islington 400 100 285 20 115 210 -190 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 230 65 150 15 35 100 -130 
			 Lambeth 660 180 460 20 280 460 -205 
			 Lewisham 485 210 265 10 305 510 30 
			 Newham 685 205 450 30 160 365 -320 
			 Southwark 640 220 390 30 140 360 -285 
			 Tower Ham lets 375 90 250 35 45 135 -245 
			 Wandsworth 275 95 155 25 90 185 -90 
			 Westminster 295 40 240 15 35 75 -220 
			 
			 Outer London 6,020 2,520 3,240 270 2,930 5,450 -570 
			 Barking and Dagenham 370 115 245 10 65 180 -190 
			 Barnet 375 140 220 10 100 240 -135 
			 Bexley 210 110 95 5 160 270 60 
			 Brent 400 190 200 15 265 455 50 
			 Bromley 285 130 140 15 155 290 — 
			 Croydon 805 — 405 — 490 880 80 
			 Ealing 455 220 210 25 170 390 -65 
			 Enfield 295 130 145 20 250 380 85 
			 Greenwich 525 165 340 20 180 350 -180 
			 Harrow 175 85 80 5 125 210 35 
			 Havering 200 85 100 15 120 205 5 
			 Hillingdon 635 215 370 45 100 315 -315 
			 Hounslow 335 120 185 30 65 190 -150 
			 Kingston upon Thames 90 40 40 5 25 65 -20 
			 Merton 110 60 45 5 120 180 70 
			 Redbridge 165 95 60 10 190 285 120 
			 Richmond upon Thames 90 — 55 — 25 50 -40 
			 Sutton 145 40 95 10 70 115 -30 
			 Waltham Forest 360 150 200 15 250 400 40 
			 (1) Source: SSDA903 return on children looked after. (2) Figures exclude children looked after under an agreed series of short term placements. (3) Children who are the responsibility of the LA. (4) Placement is not known or not collected (not collected where child placed for adoption). (5) Children who are the responsibility of another LA. (6) Figures exclude children whose LA of placement is not known.  Notes: 1. Rounding and suppression—to ensure that no individual child can be identified, we have used the following conventions throughout the tables: Regional figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 Local authority figures have been rounded to the nearest 5 Numbers from 1 to 5 inclusive have been suppressed and replaced by a hyphen (—). Zero (0) is shown only when the number submitted was zero. 2. At 31 March 2006, 6,980 children looked after by local authorities in Greater London were placed outside the area of the local authority responsible for their care. This represents 59 per cent. of all the children looked after by local authorities in Greater London.  Source: Information on children looked after by local authorities is collected for the period 1 April to 31 March in the annual SSDA903 return which is completed by 150 local authority social services departments in England.

Children: Disabled

Tom Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what discussions he had with the Scottish Executive on the allocation of additional funding to Scotland for expenditure on disabled children and their families arising from the Government's response to the 2006 review of support for disabled children and their families, Aiming High for Disabled Children; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: holding answer 26 November2007
	No discussion between the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families and Scottish Executive Ministers has occurred on this matter.
	Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales should receive settlements which reflect the increased CSR settlement for education and children's services in England announced at the time of the 2006 Budget. As part of this settlement, the Department has allocated £340 million to improve services for disabled children in England. This is equivalent to an increase of £34 million, £11 million and £20 million respectively for Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales. However, it will be up to the devolved Administrations to decide how much of their overall allocation should be directed to services for disabled children.

Children: Protection

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the average length of time was which children whose safety had been identified as a possible cause for concern were required to wait for an initial assessment by social services in each local authority in the latest period for which figures are available.

Kevin Brennan: holding answer 19 November 2007
	 Data are not currently collected on the length of time children wait for an initial assessment by children's social care services. Data are collected on what proportion of initial assessments are completed within the target timescale which is seven working days of children being referred to children's social care. The figure for 2006-07 was 68 per cent. within the target timescale.

Children: Protection

Helen Southworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what practical information and guidance will be given to local authorities to enable them to achieve good practice in relation to the new performance indicators for safeguarding children.

Kevin Brennan: holding answer 22 November 2007
	The Government will provide guidance to local authorities on the operation of the national indicator set. It is now consulting on the detailed definitions of the set to ensure that the methodology for measuring individual national indicators at a local level is sound. The consultation seeks views on the methodology, frequency of reporting and data source of each individual indicator. The consultation can be accessed from:
	www.communities.gov.uk/localgovernment/performance frameworkpartnerships/nationalindicators/
	and closes on 21 December.
	In addition, on 20 November the Government published the second phase of the operational guidance to support the negotiation of local area agreements (LAAs). It explains how local strategic partnerships can use their local vision, evidence and the radically streamlined national indicator set to develop their LAA. It highlights the importance of engaging with councillors, communities, voluntary groups and businesses to agree shared priorities, a timetable for implementation and the new, more flexible arrangements for performance management and area based grant. The guidance is available on:
	www.communities.gov.uk/publications/localgovernment/laa operationalguidance

Children: Protection

Helen Southworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families whether all local authorities will be required to comply with all the new indicators for the local authority performance framework on safeguarding children.

Kevin Brennan: All top tier local authorities and their strategic partners will have to report back at least annually on their performance against all 198 cross-Government indicators in the new national set, which was published on 11 October 2007.
	In addition, each area will agree with Government up to 35 improvement targets—plus the 16 statutory education and early years targets—drawn from indicators in the national set. Local areas may also set themselves an unlimited number of local targets which will not be subject to central performance monitoring and which need not be drawn from the national indicator set.
	From 2009 performance against all 198 national indicators will be published each year by the Audit Commission, as part of the inspectorates' comprehensive area assessment of local authorities. This will also report on each local authority's direction of travel and use of resources and will assess risks in the area.

Children: Speech Impaired

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what steps are being taken by  (a) the Children's Workforce Development Council,  (b) the Training and Development Agency and  (c) the Children's Workforce Network to define competencies for the children's work force on supporting children with speech, language and communication difficulties; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the web portal developed by the Children's Workforce Development Council to assist the children's work force support children with speech, language and communication difficulties;
	(3)  what assessment has been made by the Children's Workforce Development Council of the merits of including speech, language and communication in  (a) the Qualifications and Credit Framework and  (b) the Integrated Qualifications Framework; what discussions his Department has had with the Children's Workforce Development Council on including speech, language and communication into these frameworks; and if he will make a statement.

Kevin Brennan: The Children's Workforce Network is working together to consider the needs of children and young people with a range of disabilities including speech, language and communication. A key part of this work is embedding the common core for children, young people and families in all qualifications which support the children's work force. The common core sets out the skills needed to communicate effectively with children and young people.
	The Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC) is also working with the Network to consider future action to ensure that the work force has the right skills and qualifications to meet the needs of children and young people with disabilities. The Training and Development Agency has developed new National Occupational Standards for Supporting Teaching and Learning in schools which were developed in consultation with practitioners and include a specialist unit 'Support pupils with communication and interaction needs'.
	The Integrated Qualifications Framework (IQF) is currently in its testing phase and will not be fully operational until 2010. A suite of generic cross sector qualification units, based on the Common Core of Skills and Knowledge has been developed for the IQF. It is currently available as part of the test and trial of the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) being developed by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. CWDC is working with partners, including DCSF and DIUS, who has responsibility for the QCF, to consider what else needs to be done to address the needs of children and young people with disabilities.
	CWDC's web-based portal was launched on 26 September. It was developed with support from a wide range of partners and has been welcomed by practitioners. It is too early to say what impact it will have on the work force but CWDC is now working with partners to assess its use and consider how it can be further developed to ensure that the work force has access the right training and qualifications.
	The Government have commissioned a review of services to children and young people with speech, language and communication needs, led by the hon. Member for Buckingham (John Bercow). It is examining work force issues in this area. The hon. Member will produce an interim report in March 2008 and a final report, including recommendations to the Government, in July 2008. Contributions to the review can be made at:
	www.dcsf.gov.uk/bercowreview/index.shtml

Common Assessment Framework: Expenditure

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what his most recent estimate is of spending on the Common Assessment Framework for each year from 2007-08 to 2015-16; and if he will make a statement.

Kevin Brennan: The Common Assessment Framework process is part of the wide range of reforms under the ECM agenda, and so the costs are not identified separately. The allocation for ECM implementation is £63 million in 2007-08. This is part of the Children's Services grant (2007-08: £193 million).
	Introduction of the CAF is designed to be cost neutral with minimal implementation costs offset by anticipated efficiencies arising from improved ways of working.

Cumbria

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families whether his Department plans to move any of its offices to Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency.

Kevin Brennan: There are no plans for the Department for Children, Schools and Families to move any of its offices to Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency.

Departmental Accountancy

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families which items in his Department's budget have been reclassified, according to the classifications in HM Treasury's Consolidated Budgeting Guidance, as a result of the decisions taken in the 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review; what the  (a) former and  (b) new (i) classification and (ii) sum budgeted is in each case; and what activity is supported by each item.

Kevin Brennan: There are two such items that have been reclassified with HMT agreement as a result of the comprehensive spending review (CSR) 2007:
	Academies Delivery—the Consolidated Budgeting Guidance (Chapter 4) permits the costs of direct frontline service provision or support activities that are directly associated with frontline service delivery within Departments to be classified as programme expenditure. In keeping with this, the Treasury has agreed to reclassify the costs of the Academies delivery function within the Department which has a value of £3.72 million in 2007-08.
	Consultancy—as a result of discussions with HMT about the classification of consultancy costs in the light of the 2007 Consolidated Budgeting Guidance (Chapter 4), the Department has reclassified £2.8 million of such costs from programme to administration with effect from 2008-09.
	In addition to these two items, the Department is exploring with HMT a case to score as programme some staff early release costs resulting from the commitment in the comprehensive spending review to deliver real terms savings of 5 per cent. year on year in administration costs. The Consolidated Budgeting Guidance (Chapter 4) permits such payments to be exceptionally scored as programme rather than administration where a case explicitly linked to improved efficiency has been agreed in advance with the Treasury.
	The detail of all classification changes will be published in chapter 3 of the 2008 edition of Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses.

Departmental Alcoholic Drinks

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will take steps to ensure that English wine is served exclusively or at the request of guests at meals, parties and receptions hosted by his Department; and if he will make a statement.

Kevin Brennan: All public procurement procedures must comply with the EC Treaty. The key principles of the Treaty, from a public procurement point of view, are the free movement of goods and services, and non-discrimination on the grounds of nationality. This legislation is designed to ensure that all public procurement across the European Union is fair, transparent and non-discriminatory.
	This means that this Department cannot specify that it will only buy goods (e.g. wine) from a particular country or locality, as that would discriminate against procedures from other EU member states.
	However, the Government are committed to increase opportunities for small and local suppliers to tender for contracts, thus increasing competition and securing better value for money. This Department does this by advertising appropriate contracts on Contrax Online and Supply2gov and by reducing bureaucracy in the procurement process.

Departmental Pay

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many people in his Department and its predecessors earned over £100,000 in each year since 1997.

Kevin Brennan: The numbers of staff earning £100,000 or more for my and predecessor Departments since 2004 is provided as follows. Information before 2004, can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			   Number of people 
			 2004 15 
			 2005 27 
			 2006 23 
			 2007 20

Departmental Public Consultation

Nick Herbert: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much his Department has spent on  (a) citizens' juries,  (b) focus groups and  (c) other deliberative forms of public opinion research in each month since January 2006.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested is as follows:
	 (a) The Department for Children, Schools and Families has conducted five citizen's juries since January 2006. The cost for the first jury in Bristol was £5,7047 inc. VAT. The total costs for the four deliberative debates in London, Leeds, Portsmouth and Birmingham was 467,704 inc vat.
	 (b) The Department also ran nine focus groups as part of the Time to Talk consultation in Sutton, Birmingham and Sheffield with children aged 11 to 16 to capture their views on the key issues and challenges. The total costs for the nine focus groups was £18,835.25 inc. VAT, this included the facilitation, analysis, and production of a short film of the events. Data on other focus groups since January 2006 are not readily available as we do not classify our research expenditure in this way, so we cannot break it down by these categories. To gather the information in such a way would incur disproportionate costs.
	 (c) The Department has not conducted any other deliberative debates since January 2006.

Departmental Public Consultations

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many citizens juries were arranged for his Department and its predecessors for each year between 1997 and June 2007; which organisations were commissioned to conduct each citizens jury; and what the cost was of each.

Kevin Brennan: My Department did not arrange any citizens juries between 1997 and June 2007.

Departmental Stationary

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much Department for Children, Schools and Families headed notepaper his Department has bought; and at what cost.

Kevin Brennan: The number of letter headed note paper purchased for Department for Children, Schools and Families was 281,000 sheets and the total spend was £5,262.35 for the period 28 June 2007 to 20 November 2007.

Dyslexia

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will place in the Library a copy of the research his Department has commissioned on  (a) the incidence of dyslexia and  (b) the ways in which the condition affects families.

Kevin Brennan: Data have been collected in the School Census since 2004 on the primary types of need of children with statements and at School Action Plus—where the school involves external support or advice to meet the child's needs. Figures for January 2007 for pupils in schools with a specific learning difficulty (which includes dyslexia, dyscalculia and dyspraxia) show that there are 75,920 pupils either with a statement of SEN or supported at School Action Plus. The Department has not commissioned further research into the incidence of dyslexia.
	To identify and disseminate best practice in improving outcomes for children with dyslexia, we are working with the British Dyslexia Association, Dyslexia Action, Xtraordinary People and the Professional Association of Teachers of Students with Specific Learning Difficulties on the No to Failure Project. This project is supporting schools in three local authority areas to become project trailblazers, where children are being screened for dyslexia and individual specialist tuition is then provided to those who are identified as having dyslexia. The impact of this approach on outcomes is being evaluated. The project is also evaluating the impact of providing specialist dyslexia training for teachers, developing examples of good practice which can be extended nationally, and raising awareness of dyslexia as a learning difficulty. We are providing up to £900,000 funding over three years to support this project.

Extended Schools

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many  (a) secondary schools and  (b) primary schools offered the full range of extended services in each local authority in England in the latest period for which figures are available.

Beverley Hughes: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Basingstoke (Mrs. Miller) on 21 November,  Official Report, column 955W.

Health Education: Alcoholic Drinks

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps he is taking to ensure that young people receive adequate information on the effects and risks of alcohol; and if he will make a statement.

Kevin Brennan: The Government are committed to reducing substance misuse-related harm among young people, including that associated with alcohol misuse. Alcohol education is delivered alongside that on drugs and volatile substances and is a vital element of our approach. The Department's guidance, "Drugs: Guidance for Schools (DfES 2004)" is clear that pupils' education about alcohol and its effects should start in primary school, before drinking patterns become established and should be revisited as pupils' understanding and experience increases.
	In June of this year, the Government published their next steps in the Alcohol Strategy for England under the title "Safe. Sensible. Social.". This highlights young people as one of three priority groups for Government action on alcohol. To support this, the Department has committed to:
	Produce authoritative, accessible guidance about what is and what is not safe and sensible in the light of the latest available evidence from the UK and abroad, to help young people and their parents make informed decisions about alcohol; and
	Raise awareness of young people's alcohol use and—through a social marketing campaign—to work to create a culture where it is socially acceptable for young people to choose not to drink and, if they do, to do so later and more safely.

Higher Education: Children in Care

Stephen Hesford: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what arrangements are in place to assist care leavers to progress into higher education.

Kevin Brennan: Improving outcomes for children in care, including the proportion of care leavers who progress into HE, is of highest priority for the Government. The White Paper "Care Matters: Time for Change", published in June 2007, set out a range of measures to improve the education of children in care. Ensuring that all children in care make better progression at school will enable more care leavers to enter higher education.
	The Children and Young Persons Bill, which provides the legislative framework for the changes set out in "Care Matters: Time for Change", was introduced into the House of Lords on 14 November. It will place a duty on all local authorities to pay a bursary of a minimum of £2,000 to all care leavers who enter higher education, on top of the existing support they already receive. This measure will further improve the financial support that care leavers receive for higher education.
	Further work to increase the numbers of care leavers progressing into higher education takes place through the "Aimhigher" programme. It helps people from under-represented backgrounds, including care leavers, to be able and willing to consider higher education as a viable option. The programme brings together local partnerships of schools, colleges and universities to design and deliver a range of aspiration and attainment-raising activities.

Higher Education: Romford

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what percentage of 18 to 22 year olds from Romford were studying at university  (a) in 1997 and  (b) at the latest date for which figures are available;
	(2)  what the rate of participation by 18-year-olds in higher education in Romford was in  (a) 2005-06 and  (b) 2006-07;
	(3)  what percentage of 18 to 22 year olds from Romford were studying at university  (a) in 1997 and  (b) at the latest date for which figures are available.

Bill Rammell: I have been asked to reply.
	The main measure for tracking progress on increasing participation is currently the higher education initial participation rate (HEIPR). This is the sum of the HE initial participation rates for individual ages between 17 and 30 inclusive. It covers English-domiciled first-time entrants to HE courses, which are expected to last for at least six months, at UK higher education institutions and English, Scottish and Welsh further education colleges, and who remain on their course for at least six months. The earliest figure is 39.3 per cent. for 1999/2000 and the latest available figure is 42.8 per cent. for 2005/06.
	Equivalent figures for the 18 to 22-year-old age group are 33.4 per cent. for 1999/2000 and 36.2 per cent. for 2005/06.
	Equivalent figures for 18-year-olds are 19.3 per cent. for 1999/2000 and 21.3 per cent. for 2005/06. Figures for 2006/07 will become available in 2008. The HEIPR is not disaggregated below national level.
	HEFCE's "Young participation in Higher Education" publication includes the proportion of young people who enter higher education at age 18 or 19 by parliamentary constituency, although this only covers the years up to 2000. Participation rates based on this work are given on the supporting POLAR website (www.hefce.ac.uk/polar). These indicate that, for the cohort reaching 18 in 1997, the proportion of young people from Romford who entered higher education at age 18 or 19 was 22 per cent. For the cohort reaching 18 in 2000, the proportion of young people from Romford who entered higher education at age 18 or 19 was also 22 per cent.

Higher Education: Romford

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the percentage of young entrants to full-time first degree courses from state schools in Romford was over the past five years.

Bill Rammell: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested is not available at a local level.
	The latest available information on higher education entrants from state schools is shown in the table. This shows the proportion of UK-domiciled young (aged under 21) entrants to full-time first degree courses at higher education institutions in England, who are from state schools. The figures cover the period 2001/02 to 2005/06 inclusive. Figures for 2006/07 will become available in 2008. This information is taken from the annual "Performance Indicators in Higher Education", which are published by the Higher Education Statistics Agency.
	
		
			  Percentage of UK-domiciled young (under 21) entrants to full-time first degree courses at higher education institutions in England, who are from state schools 
			  Academic year  Percentage 
			 2001/02 85.2 
			 2002/03 86.4 
			 2003/04 86.1 
			 2004/05 85.9 
			 2005/06 86.9 
			  Source: "Performance Indicators in Higher Education", published by HESA.

Influenza

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on contingencies prepared for the possible re-deployment of school staff in support of other public services as a consequence of any future influenza pandemic, as identified in Exercise Winter Willow;
	(2)  if he will provide an update on the policy for the closure of schools in the event of any future influenza pandemic, identified as a consequence of Exercise Winter Willow; and if he will make a statement.

Kevin Brennan: The Government's policy on possible school closures remains that set out in the Department's guidance to schools and local authorities published in July 2006. It is possible that we will advise schools and group early years and childcare settings to close when a pandemic reaches their area. The decision on whether to issue such advice cannot be taken before there is a pandemic, as the decision will be based on the evaluation by expert advisers of the level of threat to children and young people from the pandemic strain of virus.
	Officials from my Department are in discussion with partners in local government about the possibility of school staff assisting other services if schools were to close during a pandemic. However, we would hope that schools, working with their local authorities, would support remote learning by students during a pandemic, which would involve some, if not all, of a school's teaching staff.

Minibuses: Licensing

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what assessment he has made of the impact of new driving licence regulations for minibuses on extra-curricular activities in schools; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: holding answer 20 November 2007
	With the Department for Transport and its agencies we assessed in 2006 the impact of the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations 1999 and we issued the policy statement for schools in April 2006 which I refer to in my reply to the hon. Member on 22 November.

Pupil Exclusions

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many fixed period exclusions there were in each year since 1997.

Kevin Brennan: The available information is given in the table:
	
		
			  Maintained primary, secondary, all special schools, city technology colleges and academies( 1, 2) : number of fixed period exclusions 2003-04 to 2005-06: England 
			   2003-04( 3, 4)  2004-05( 4)  2005-06( 5) 
			  Primary schools
			 Number of fixed period exclusions 41,300 43,720 n/a 
			  Secondary schools
			 Number of fixed period exclusions 288,040 329,680 343,840 
			  Maintained Special schools
			 Number of fixed period exclusions 15,170 16,170 n/a 
			  City Technology Colleges
			 Number of fixed period exclusions n/a n/a 550 
			  Academies( 6)
			 Number of fixed period exclusions n/a n/a 3,990 
			 n/a = Not available  (1) Includes middle schools as deemed.  (2) Includes maintained special schools. Excludes non-maintained special schools.  (3) In 2003-04 information on fixed period exclusions was collected for the first time.  (4) Information on fixed period exclusions has been derived from the termly exclusions survey.  (5) For the 2005-06 school year, information on fixed period exclusions from secondary schools, CTCs and Academies was collected for the first time via the School Census (the Termly Exclusions Survey has been discontinued). For exclusions during 2006-07, information on fixed period exclusions will also be collected from primary and special schools.  (6) Data is based on returns for 36 Academies, 20 of which had recently opened.   Note:  Totals may not appear to equal the sum of component parts because numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10.   Source:  School Census

Pupil Exclusions

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many fixed period exclusions there were in England in 2006-07, broken down by age and sex of excluded pupil.

Kevin Brennan: Data are not yet available for 2006-07; these will be published in June 2008. The latest year for which data are available is 2005-06 and relates to secondary schools only. This information is given in the table:
	
		
			  Maintained secondary schools( 1) : number of fixed period exclusions by age and gender England, 2005-06( 2) 
			   Fixed period exclusions 
			   Boys  Girls  Total 
			  Number of exclusions
			 Age(3)
			 4 and under 0 0 0 
			 5 0 0 0 
			 6 0 0 0 
			 7 0 0 0 
			 8 (4)— 0 (4)— 
			 9 530 80 610 
			 10 860 90 950 
			 11 31,830 6,690 38,530 
			 12 49,370 16,850 66,230 
			 13 61,000 27,730 88,720 
			 14 64,220 28,390 92,610 
			 15 40,030 14,640 54,670 
			 16 760 200 950 
			 17 300 80 380 
			 18 20 10 30 
			 19 and over 10 (4)— 10 
			 Total(5) 248,950 94,750 343,840 
			 
			  Percentage of school population( 6)
			 Age(3):
			 4 and under 000 0.00 0.00 
			 5 0.00 0.00 0.00 
			 6 0.00 0.00 0,00 
			 7 0.00 0.00 0.00 
			 8 (4)— 0.00 (4)— 
			 9 4.36 0.69 2.57 
			 10 6.16 0.64 3,46 
			 11 11.15 2.43 6.87 
			 12 16.98 5.97 11.56 
			 13 20.26 9.51 14.97 
			 14 21.35 9.67 15.58 
			 15 13.67 5.11 9.44 
			 16 0.84 0.19 0.50 
			 17 0.43 0.09 0.25 
			 18 033 0.21 0.27 
			 19 and over 1.98 (4)— 1.00 
			 Total(5) 14.96 5.77 10.40 
			 (1) Includes middle schools as deemed.  (2) For the 2005-06 school year, information on fixed period exclusions from secondary schools was collected via the school census for the first time (the termly exclusions survey has been discontinued). For exclusions during 2006-07, information on fixed period exclusions will also be collected from primary and special schools. See Notes to Editors 2.  (3) Age as at 31 August 2005.  (4) Less than 5, or a rate based on less than 5.  (5) There were 140 exclusions for which gender and age were unclassified and three male exclusions for whom age was unclassified. These have been included in the total only.  (6) The number of exclusions expressed as a percentage of the number (headcount) of pupils of each age in secondary schools as at January 2006.   Note:  Totals may not appear to equal the sum of component parts because numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10.   Source:  School Census

Video Games: Violence

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much has been allocated to Dr. Tanya Byron's review.

Kevin Brennan: The Government believe it is important to help parents and their children get the best from new technologies while protecting children from inappropriate or potentially harmful material on the internet and in video games. We will ensure that Dr. Byron has the necessary resources to complete a thorough review. The review is due to report by the end of March 2008.
	An indicative budget of £250,000 has been allocated to the review, not including salaries and expenses of the civil servants on the review's secretariat. This figure is subject to possible amendment in line with the terms of reference, such as to meet needs for stakeholder engagement or qualitative research. This has been agreed in accordance with the Cabinet Office guidelines and value for money assessments.

TREASURY

Alcoholic Drinks: Death

Simon Burns: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many deaths attributable to alcohol there were in West Chelmsford constituency in each of the last five years.

Angela Eagle: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 27 November 2007:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many deaths attributable to alcohol there were in West Chelmsford constituency in each of the last five years. (167894)
	The attached tables provide the number of deaths with an alcohol-related underlying cause in West Chelmsford parliamentary constituency from 2002 to 2006 (the latest year available).
	
		
			  Number of deaths with an alcohol-related underlying cause of death( 1) , West Chelmsford parliamentary constituency( 2) , 2002-06( 3) 
			   Deaths (persons) 
			   West Chelmsford 
			 2002 5 
			 2003 9 
			 2004 9 
			 2005 7 
			 2006 5 
			 (1) Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10). The specific causes of death categorised as alcohol-related, and their corresponding ICD-10 codes, are shown in the following table.  (2) Based on boundaries as of 2007.  (3) Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year. 
		
	
	
		
			  Alcohol-related causes of death—International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) 
			  Cause of death  ICD-10 code(s) 
			 Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of alcohol F10 
			 Degeneration of nervous system due to alcohol G31.2 
			 Alcoholic polyneuropathy G62.1 
			 Alcoholic cardiomyopathy I42.6 
			 Alcoholic gastritis K29.2 
			 Alcoholic liver disease K70 
			 Chronic hepatitis, not elsewhere classified K73 
			 Fibrosis and cirrhosis of liver (excl. Biliary cirrhosis) K74 (excl. K74.3-K74.5) 
			 Alcohol induced chronic pancreatitis K86.0 
			 Accidental poisoning by and exposure to alcohol X45 
			 Intentional self-poisoning by and exposure to alcohol X65 
			 Poisoning by and exposure to alcohol, undetermined intent Y15

Alcoholic Drinks: Misuse

James Brokenshire: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people under the age of 18 years died as a consequence of excessive alcohol consumption in the last period for which figures are available.

Angela Eagle: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 27 November 2007:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many young people under the age of 18 years died as a consequence of excessive alcohol consumption in the last period for which figures are available. I am replying in her absence. (167988)
	The latest calendar year for which figures are available is for deaths registered in 2006. There was one death in young people aged under 18 in England and Wales in 2006 with an underlying cause of death which was alcohol-related.*
	The National Statistics definition of alcohol-related deaths only includes those causes regarded as being most directly due to alcohol consumption and toxic effects of alcohol (ie poisoning). It does not include other diseases where alcohol has been shown to make some contribution to increased risk, such as cancers of the mouth, oesophagus and liver (although these would not generally apply to deaths of young people aged under 18) and does not include drug poisoning deaths where alcohol was also mentioned. Apart from deaths due to poisoning with alcohol (accidental, intentional or undetermined), the definition excludes any other external causes of deaths, such as road traffic deaths, and other accidents and violence.
	* Selected using the National Statistics definition of alcohol-related deaths. The International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes for the definition are listed below:
	F10—Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of alcohol
	G31.2—Denegration of nervous system due to alcohol
	G62.1—Alcoholicpolyneuropathy
	142.6—Alcoholic cardiomyopathy
	K29.2—Alcoholic gastritis
	K70—Alcoholic liver disease
	K73—Chronic hepatitis, not elsewhere classified
	K74—Fibrosis and cirrhosis of liver (excluding K74.3-K74.5—billiary cirrhosis)
	K86.0—Alcohol induced pancreatitis
	X45—Accidental poisoning by and exposure to alcohol
	X65—Intentional self-poisoning by and exposure to alcohol
	Y15—Poisoning by and exposure to alcohol, undetermined intent.

Capital Gains Tax: Agriculture

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the likely effect of the capital gains tax changes announced in the pre-Budget report on the farming sector.

Jane Kennedy: The Government take a range of factors into consideration when formulating tax policy, and keep all aspects of policy under review.

Council of Economic Advisers

Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many times the Council of Economic Advisers has met in full session  (a) since June 2007; and  (b) in each year since 1997.

Angela Eagle: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 13 March 2007,  Official report, column 281W and the answer I gave on 24 July 2007,  Official Report, column 200W.

Elderly: Death

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people resident in the Peterborough city council area over the age of 65 died during the winter months in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 27 November 2007:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many people resident in the Peterborough City Council area over the age of 65 died during the winter months in each year since 1997. I am replying in her absence. (168121)
	Figures for winter deaths are calculated using a definition of winter as a four-month period from December of one year to March of the next year. The table below provides the number of winter deaths of people resident in Peterborough unitary authority over the age of 65, for the years 1996/97 to 2004/05 (the latest available).
	
		
			  Table 1: winter deaths of persons over the age of 65( 1) , Peterborough unitary authority( 2) , 1996-97 to 2004-05 
			  deaths (persons) 
			  Winter  Peterborough 
			 1996-97 465 
			 1997-98 404 
			 1998-99 495 
			 1999-2000 426 
			 2000-01 399 
			 2001-02 420 
			 2002-03 449 
			 2003-04 394 
			 2004-05 432 
			 (1) Winter deaths are defined as those occurring in December of one year, plus those occurring in January to March of the following year. (2) Using boundaries as of 2007 for all years.

Employment: Peterborough

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of people in the Peterborough City Council area are classified as  (a) professionals and  (b) skilled workers; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked top reply.
	 Letter Colin Mowl, dated 27 November 2007:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about employment. I am replying in her absence. (168122)
	The Office for National Statistics compiles employment statistics for local areas from the Annual Population Survey (APS) following International Labour Organisation definitions.
	The percentage of people resident in the Peterborough City local authority who are employed in professional and skilled trades occupations for the 12-month period ending March 2007 was, respectively, 10 and 9 per cent. of all those in employment.
	Professional and skilled workers are classified using the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) 2000 for Professional Occupations and Skilled Trades Occupations respectively.
	As these estimates are for a subset of the population in a small geographical area, they are based on small sample sizes, and are therefore subject to large margins of uncertainty.

Financial Services Authority: Public Participation

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the codes of practice developed by the  (a) Cabinet Office on consultation and  (b) Better Regulation Executive on the principles of good regulation apply to consultations conducted by the Financial Services Authority.

Kitty Ussher: The Cabinet Office code of practice on consultation applies to all UK public consultations by Government Departments. It is not a statutory code and cannot prevail over statutory or mandatory external requirements such as those contained in the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. The Act places consultation requirements on the Financial Services Authority (FSA) and sets out what should accompany the consultation document.
	With regard to (b), the principles of good regulation are specified in the Legislative and Regulatory Reform Act 2006. The FSA will need to have regard to the principles in the Act and the draft regulators' compliance code that flows from it.

Gift Aid

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what information his Department holds on charities that receive income tax refunds under the gift aid scheme; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how much was refunded to higher rate income tax payers under the gift aid scheme in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  in how many cases income tax claimed by charities under the gift aid scheme has been deemed ineligible in each of the last five years, broken down by reason for ineligibility; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  how much income tax claimed under the gift aid scheme by charities was deemed ineligible in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement;
	(5)  how much income tax was passed on to charities under the gift aid scheme in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: The information held by HMRC on charities that receive income tax refunds under the gift aid scheme is:
	charity name;
	registered charity number;
	HMRC reference number;
	name and address of authorised charity official making income tax repayment claim (or their nominee);
	company or trust status;
	accounting date; and
	charity's nominated bank name, account number and sort code.
	Details of income tax paid to charities under the gift aid scheme, and the cost of income tax relief given to higher rate donors is available to the public on the HMRC website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/charities/menu.htm
	Figures for 2006-07 show total repayments to charities under gift aid of £830 million and £220 million of gift aid relief claimed by higher rate taxpayers.
	The number of ineligible gift aid claims made by charities and the total income tax included on those claims is available only at disproportionate cost.

Insurance

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent estimate he has made of the number of independent brokers within the United Kingdom commercial insurance market; what the annual value of the market is; and what his policy is for the future of this sector.

Kitty Ussher: The Financial Services Authority is responsible for the regulation of independent brokers within the United Kingdom. The FSA currently authorises 8,225 general insurance intermediaries. Research carried out by the British Insurance Brokers' Association (BIBA) in 2006 indicated that 3,857 out of the total of regulated insurance intermediaries conducted general insurance broking as a core activity. The 2006 BIBA research indicated that total general insurance income from the primary UK market was £8.2 billion, of which £7.8 billion is generated by insurance brokers.

Insurance Companies: Disclosure of Information

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what requirements there are for commercial insurance brokers to disclose commission to clients; and what assessment he has made of the adequacy of those requirements.

Kitty Ussher: The Financial Services Authority set the requirements for commercial insurance brokers to disclose information to clients and is responsible for assessing the adequacy of those requirements. Insurance Conduct of Business Rule (ICOB) rule - ICOB 4.6.1R sets out the requirement for insurance brokers to disclose commission, when asked, to clients. The FSA review of commission disclosure in the commercial market is nearing completion and the findings will be announced shortly.

Insurance: Equal Opportunities

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what policy objectives he has for diversity and competition within the commercial insurance sector; and what his policy is for regulation of the sector.

Kitty Ussher: The Government strongly encourage competition in all sectors of the economy and have strengthened the UK's competition legislation through the Competition Act 1998 and Enterprise Act 2002. Enforcement of the competition legislation is the responsibility of the Office of Fair Trading, the Competition Commission and the economic regulators.
	Regulation of the commercial insurance sector falls within the responsibilities of the Financial Services Authority.

Insurance: Public Participation

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects the Financial Services Authority (FSA) to publish its consultation document on the hard disclosure of commission earned by brokers of commercial insurance; and what assessment he has made of the FSA's procedures for consulting before finalising that document, with particular reference to consultation with small independent brokers.

Kitty Ussher: The Financial Services Authority expects to publish the independent report on its findings on the hard disclosure of commission earned by brokers of commercial insurance shortly.
	The Chancellor has made no specific assessment of FSA procedures for consulting before finalising this particular document. However, the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 requires the FSA to consult on proposed rules and to produce a cost benefit analysis. The Act also requires the FSA to publish an account of representations made to it and its response to them.

Low Incomes: Peterborough

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people in Peterborough constituency were paid less than the minimum wage in the latest period for which figures are available.

Angela Eagle: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 27 November 2007:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question to asking how many people in the Peterborough constituency earned less than the minimum wage in the latest period for which figures are available. I am replying in her absence. (168140)
	Estimates for the number of jobs paid below the national minimum wage by parliamentary constituency are not available. However, I attach a table showing the number of jobs earning less than the national minimum wage by Government Office Region.
	A guide to measuring low pay and associated articles can be found on the National Statistics website at:
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk=5837
	
		
			  Estimates of UK jobs paid below minimum wage by Government Office Region 
			   2007 
			   Thousand  Percentage 
			  Government Office Region   
			 North East 16 1.5 
			 North West (including Merseyside) 32 1.2 
			 Yorks and Humber 24 1.2 
			 East Midlands 25 1.4 
			 West Midlands 26 1.2 
			 Eastern 27 1.2 
			 London 23 0.7 
			 South East 32 0.9 
			 South West 25 1.1 
			 Wales 17 1.5 
			 Scotland 30 1.3 
			 Northern Ireland 15 2.1 
			 All(1) 292 1.2 
			 (1) 2007 data are for those aged 16 and over.  Source: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Office for National Statistics.

Members: Correspondence

Julian Lewis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is his Department's practice to attach to written answers hard copies of earlier replies cited in such answers where these were previously given to hon. Members other than the hon. Member to whom the answer is addressed.

Angela Eagle: holding answer 26 November 2007
	I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer he received on 26 November 2007,  Official Report, column 133W from my hon. Friend the Deputy Leader of the House. Treasury Ministers' written answers which cite earlier replies invariably give the  Hansard column reference.

Minimum Wage: Manpower

Colin Burgon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many officials are employed to enforce minimum wage requirements in the Yorkshire and the Humber region; and what the planned number of such staff is for 2008-09.

Jane Kennedy: The Yorkshire and Humber region is covered by the NMW compliance teams based in Shipley and Sheffield. The staffing information for these teams can be found in the following table:
	
		
			  Payband 
			   Total 
			  Shipley  
			 2007-08 7 
			 2008-09 8 
			   
			  Sheffield  
			 2007-08 7 
			 2008-09 7

Mortgages: Repossession Orders

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the likely number of mortgage repossessions in  (a) 2008 and  (b) 2009.

Kitty Ussher: The Treasury does not produce a forecast for mortgage repossessions. The Council of Mortgage Lenders publishes a range of statistics on UK housing and mortgage markets, including on repossessions, available at:
	http://www.cml.org.uk/cml/statistics

National Savings

Michael Penning: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the value is of unclaimed assets in national savings accounts.

Kitty Ussher: National Savings and Investments (NS&I) estimates that there is approximately £466 million of unclaimed assets held with them in dormant accounts. NS&I offers a free tracing service to anyone who thinks that they may have unclaimed money in an NS&I product (www.nsandi.com/help/tracing_service.jsp). To date, it has achieved 48,000 successful traces and reunited customers with £47.8 million.

Northern Rock

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what meetings he has had with the Governor of the Bank of England on Northern Rock in the last 12 months.

Kitty Ussher: The Chancellor regularly meets with the Governor to discuss a range of issues. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings.

Northern Rock

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to publish his Department's statement of the principles governing its approach to any bid to acquire Northern Rock; and if he will make a statement.

Kitty Ussher: The statement of principles, which governs our approach to proposals for the future of Northern Rock and its business was published on 19 November 2007. Copies are available in the Library of the House.

Ovarian Cancer: Peterborough

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many cases of  (a) ovarian and  (b) breast cancer were diagnosed and cured in Peterborough constituency in each year since 1997.

Angela Eagle: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked top reply.
	 Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 27 November 2007:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many cases of (a) ovarian and b) breast cancer were diagnosed and cured in Peterborough constituency in each year since 1997. I am replying in her absence. (167560)
	Numbers of newly diagnosed cases of a) ovarian cancer and b) breast cancer registered in the Peterborough parliamentary constituency between 1997 and 2004, the latest year for which figures are available, are given in Table 1 below.
	It is not possible to say whether or not patients are cured. For most cancers, but not breast, five-year survival rates are often taken to be 'cure' rates.
	Survival rates by parliamentary constituency are not available, but one- and five-year survival for eight common cancers including breast cancer by government office region and strategic health authority, for patients diagnosed in 1997-99 and followed up to 31 December 2004, are available on the National Statistics website at:
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk=11991&Pos=9&ColRank=l&Rank=272
	Survival rates for ovarian cancer are available for England only, in -One- and five-year survival of patients diagnosed 1999-2003 and followed up to 2004: 21 common cancers, by sex and age', on the National Statistics website at:
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product/Product. asp?vlnk=14007
	
		
			  Table 1. Numbers of newly diagnosed cases of ovarian and breast cancer( 1)  registered in Peterborough parliamentary constituency( 2) : females, 1997 to 2004 
			   1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004 
			 Ovary 7 9 8 7 12 6 13 9 
			 Breast 45 41 57 60 51 59 71 59 
			 (1) Ovarian cancer is defined by codes C56 and C57 and breast cancer by codes C50 in the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10). (2) Based on parliamentary constituency boundaries as of 2007. Source: Office for National Statistics

Prostate Cancer: Peterborough

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many men were diagnosed with prostate cancer in Peterborough primary care trust and its predecessor's area in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 27 November 2007:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent parliamentary question asking how many men were diagnosed with prostate cancer in Peterborough primary care trust and its predecessor's area in each year since 1997. I am replying in her absence. (168333)
	Numbers of newly diagnosed cases of prostate cancer registered in the Peterborough
	primary care trust between 1997 and 2004, the latest year for which figures are available, are given in Table 1.
	
		
			  Table 1 . Number of newly diagnosed cases of prostate cancer( 1)  registered in Peterborough parliamentary constituency( 2) : males, 1997 to 2004 
			   1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004 
			 Prostate 46 60 73 81 81 95 77 78 
			 (1) Prostate cancer is defined by code C61 in the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10)  (2) Based on parliamentary constituency boundaries as of 2007.   Source:  Office for National Statistics

Register of Births, Deaths, Marriages and Civil Partnerships

Mike Hancock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 20 November 2007,  Official Report, column 709W, on register of births, deaths, marriages and civil partnerships, what the underlying assumptions were for the original business plan which proved to be incorrect; who was responsible for drawing them up; who is responsible for drawing up the revised assumptions; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 27 November 2007:
	The National Statistician and Registrar General for England and Wales has been asked to reply to your recent parliamentary question asking what the underlying assumptions were for the original business plan which proved to be incorrect; who was responsible for drawing them up; who is responsible for drawing up the revised assumptions. I am replying in her absence. (168389)
	The assumptions in the business case were the responsibility of the officials who prepared the case, as they will be for the revised case. Those found to be incorrect related to costs and timescales for implementation, as is not unusual when discussions are undertaken with prospective suppliers after business case approval has been obtained.

Revenue and Customs: Pay

Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what bonuses were paid to staff working on tax credits in each  (a) month,  (b) quarter and  (c) year between April 2003 to September 2007;
	(2)  what the 10 largest bonus payments made to staff working on tax credits were in the last 12 months.

Jane Kennedy: The information is not available for all staff working on tax credits. For information up to May 2007 I refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend gave the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Laws) on 25 June 2007,  Official Report, column 395W. As he explained, staff in various parts of HM Revenue and Customs, not only the Tax Credit Office, may be deployed to tax credits work or deal with tax credits in addition to other work. It is not possible to isolate those in receipt of bonus payments.
	For the number and value of bonus payments made to Tax Credit Office staff since new tax credits were introduced in 2003, I refer the hon. Member to the answers my right hon. Friend gave the hon. Member for Yeovil on 23 October 2006,  Official Report, column 1646W, 25 July 2006,  Official Report, column 1393W, 29 June 2006,  Official Report, column 587W, and 12 December 2005,  Official Report, columns 1792-93W.
	The Director of the Tax Credit Office continues to recognise exceptional performance—including examples of excellent customer service—through a recognition bonus scheme. The number and value of bonus payments made to Tax Credits Office staff from June 2007 to September 2007 inclusive are shown as follows:
	
		
			  2007  Total number of staff awarded a bonus payment  Total value paid( 1)  (£) 
			 June 2 500 
			 July 6 1,150 
			 August 19 5,400 
			 September 82 12,000 
			 (1) Per calendar month. 
		
	
	The 10 largest recognition bonus scheme payments made to TCO staff in the last 12 months were:
	
		
			  2007  Amount paid (£) 
			 March 1,000 
			 March 800 
			 March 750 
			 August 750 
			 March 600 
			 September 600 
			 February 500 
			 May 500 
			 September 500 
			 November 500

Tax Yields

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of total tax revenue was raised by  (a) income tax,  (b) national insurance,  (c) VAT and  (d) council tax in each year since 1997.

Jane Kennedy: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 27 November 2007:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what proportion of total tax revenue was raised by (a) income tax, (b) national insurance, (c) VAT and (d) council tax in each year since 1997. I am replying in her absence. (166347)
	Detailed statistics about types of tax payable by UK residents to general government and the European Union for calendar years are published on a regular basis in table 11.1 of the annual ONS publication "United Kingdom National Accounts (The Blue Book)". The Blue Book was last published in June. However, the table was updated in the monthly "Public Sector Finances First Release", on both calendar year and financial year bases, published on 20 July. Differences between the figures in the Blue Book and Public Sector Finances are a result of differing revisions policies for the National Accounts and the Public Sector Finances; the latter are the more up to date. The table is not a regular feature of the First Release, although most of the figures themselves are updated every month. The data in the table below are consistent with the dataset for the "Public Sector Finances" published on 20 November 2007.
	In answering this question total tax revenue has been defined consistently with the Total taxes and social contributions series in table 11.1. Value Added Tax includes receivables for central government and the European Union. The financial year has been used because the UK adopts this as its fiscal base.
	
		
			   A  B  C  D 
			 1996-97 27.5 17.2 18.9 3.7 
			 1997-98 27.2 17.2 18.4 3.6 
			 1998-99 28.0 17.1 18.1 3.8 
			 1999-2000 28.2 16.6 18.1 3.8 
			 2000-01 29.2 17.0 17.8 3.9 
			 2001-02 29.2 17.0 18.4 4.1 
			 2002-03 29.2 16.8 18.9 4.4 
			 2003-04 27.8 18.6 19.6 4.7 
			 2004-05 28.1 18.7 19.0 4.7 
			 2005-06 28.3 18.5 18.1 4.6 
			 2006-07 28.5 18.3 18.2 4.5 
			  Notes: A. Household income taxes as a percentage of total taxes and social contributions payable by UK residents. B. National insurance contributions as a percentage of total taxes and social contributions payable by UK residents. C. Value added tax as a percentage of total taxes and social contributions payable by UK residents. D. Council tax as a percentage of total taxes and social contributions payable by UK residents.

Taxation: Rugby

Paul Rowen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what criteria are used to determine whether proceeds from rugby league testimonial events are regarded as taxable income; and how many people have been contacted about their potential tax liability arising from such events.

Jane Kennedy: holding answer 26 November 2007
	The tax treatment of testimonial payments depends upon the facts of each individual case. Under established case law, a testimonial payment will be fully taxable as earnings from employment where it is a contractual right or is customary at the player's club.
	Confidentiality rules mean that I cannot comment on the number of players that have been contacted about the taxability payments received.

Unemployment: Young People

Simon Burns: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many and what percentage of 18 to 24 year olds are unemployed in West Chelmsford constituency; and what the equivalent figures were on 27 November in each of the last five years.

Angela Eagle: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 27 November 2007:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many and what percentage of 18 to 24 year olds are unemployed in West Chelmsford constituency; and what the equivalent figures were on 27th November in each of the last five years. I am replying in her absence. (167892)
	The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles unemployment statistics for parliamentary constituencies from the annual local area Labour Force Survey (LFS) and the Annual Population Survey (APS) following International Labour Organisation (ILO) definitions. These are annual surveys and the estimates derived from them cover twelve month periods, rather than a particular day.
	However, from the annual LFS and the APS, there is only one period in the last 5 years where the sample size is sufficient to provide an estimate of the number of unemployed 18 to 24 year olds in West Chelmsford. For April 2004 to March 2005, there were 1000 unemployed persons aged 18 to 24 resident in West Chelmsford. This was 7 per cent of all 18 to 24 year olds in West Chelmsford. This percentage is not the same as the unemployment rate, which is defined as the number unemployed as the percentage of the number of economically active persons in the age group of interest. The unemployment rate for 18 to 24 year olds in West Chelmsford in this period was 10 per cent.
	As these estimates are for a subset of the population in a small geographical area, they are based on very small sample sizes, and are therefore subject to large margins of uncertainty.
	ONS also compiles statistics for local areas of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA). The table, attached, shows the number of JSA claimants aged 18 to 24, resident in West Chelmsford, claiming in November for 2002 to 2006 (data for November 2007 are not yet available).
	These numbers are not the numbers of claimants on the 27th of each November; the JSA claimant count date is the second Thursday of each month. These numbers cannot be shown as the percentage of all persons aged 18 to 24, as the working age population estimates for parliamentary constituencies cannot be broken down into different age groups.
	
		
			  Number of claimants of jobseeker's allowance aged 18 to 24 resident in the West Chelmsford parliamentary constituency in November of each year from 2002 to 2006 
			  November  Number 
			 2002 160 
			 2003 185 
			 2004 155 
			 2005 230 
			 2006 270 
			  Notes:  1. Claimant count data by age includes computerised claims only.  2. Dataset rounded to the nearest 5.   Source:  Jobcentre Plus administrative data.

Welfare Tax Credits

Joan Humble: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the number of children living in households entitled to but not claiming  (a) child tax credit,  (b) working tax credit and  (c) child benefit in the most recent period for which figures are available;
	(2)  what the take-up rates for  (a) child tax credit,  (b) working tax credit and  (c) child benefit were in 2006-07.

Jane Kennedy: Child and working tax credits were introduced in April 2003.
	Estimates of take-up rates for child and working tax credit in 2005-06 and 2006-07 are not available. Estimates for 2003-04 and 2004-05 are produced in the HMRC publications "Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit. Take-up Rates" for each relevant year. These publications are available on the HMRC website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/cwtc-take-up.htm
	Table 7 of these publications also detail the estimated number of in-work entitled non-recipients, by family size.
	A precise take-up rate for child benefit is not available, but it is estimated that approximately 2 per cent. of families, although entitled, do not claim child benefit. The number of children living in households eligible for but not claiming child benefit is not available.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Violent Extremism

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will make a statement on the preventing violent extremism programme.

Hazel Blears: The preventing violent extremism programme has been established to deliver the Government's commitment to support a community-based response to violent extremism. This includes work to support alternative voices, strengthen the resilience of faith institutions, support vulnerable individuals, build the capacity across communities to resist and reject violent extremism, and to promote shared values.

Energy Efficiency

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans her Department has to improve the energy efficiency of existing homes.

Iain Wright: The Government have a wide ranging programme of activities to improve the energy efficiency of existing homes. As part of this, my Department has a major programme of work in hand to roll out Energy Performance Certificates which provide an energy performance rating for houses being sold.
	My Department is also taking forward the Decent Homes Programme which is designed to tackle the worst housing conditions in the social housing sector and which includes measures to improve energy efficiency.

Property Revaluations

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans she has to revalue properties for council tax purposes.

Parmjit Dhanda: The Government will stand by their commitment not to revalue during this Parliament. With the forthcoming three-year settlement for local government concluding in 2010-11 they would not expect to consider revaluation before that date. Even then there would need to be clear benefits given the costs to households that could be involved.

Cabinet System: Local Government

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when the Government plan to publish a review of the cabinet system in local government.

Parmjit Dhanda: On 5 October we published the results of our evaluation of councils' executive arrangements, including the cabinet system. This evaluation, undertaken by a team of academics, clearly demonstrates that the cabinet system enhances local leadership. And the new measures in the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 will further strengthen the cabinet system.

Affordable Housing

Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what provision will be made in the Housing and Regeneration Bill to enable more affordable homes to be built.

Iain Wright: The Housing and Regeneration Bill will set up the new Homes and Communities Agency, which for the first time will bring together land and money to deliver new housing. The new agency will have responsibility for land and a budget of billions for affordable housing, including shared ownership.
	The Bill will also make it easier for councils to build council homes by making changes to the Housing Revenue Account system.

Affordable Housing

Laura Moffatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what progress she is making on increasing affordable housing in the south-east.

Iain Wright: The Government have increased significantly the funding for housing in England from £7.8 billion over the last three years to over £10 billion for the three years 2008-11. We expect this funding, and other sources, to generate 110,000 social housing units over the next three years in comparison with 78,000 units over the last three years. The South East's proposed provisional share of this is £1.37 billion. We expect this additional investment to fund over 12,700 affordable homes per year in the period 2008-11. This compares with an average of 8,200 affordable homes per year over the previous three years.

Home Information Packs

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will make a statement on progress on the home information packs scheme.

Yvette Cooper: On 22 November, I set out our intention to complete the phased roll out by extending coverage to the rest of the market from 14 December, in line with the criteria set out on 11 June.

Thames Gateway

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of the likely effect of the number of dwellings planned in the Thames Gateway development on the effectiveness of that development.

Yvette Cooper: The target of 160,000 new homes in the Thames Gateway was set in 2006 with reference to the three regional spatial strategies (RSS) that cover the Thames Gateway area. The regional and local planning authorities are best placed to make assessments on the impacts of development on their areas and these assessments are made as part of the development of their regional and local strategies.

Non-domestic Buildings: Sustainability Standards

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what standards of sustainability she sets for new non-domestic buildings constructed with support from public funding.

Iain Wright: All new non-domestic buildings, including those constructed with support from public funding are required to meet the standards sets out in Building Regulations, including Part L—Conservation of Fuel and Power.
	My Department is also working with other Government Departments to consider the future standards that might be set for energy performance of new non-domestic buildings, including those owned or occupied by the public sector.
	Additionally, the UK Government Sustainable Procurement Action Plan which was published on 5 March 2007, sets out detailed plans for how the Government will move towards a sustainably built and managed central Government estate. This includes using sustainable procurement to make rapid progress against the cross Government sustainable operations targets announced in June 2006.

Community Land Trusts

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assistance the Government are providing for the development of community land trusts.

Iain Wright: Community Land Trusts (CLTs) are an additional option to help deliver affordable housing, if more land can be brought forward and if we can ensure that they provide housing in line with current standards for the delivery of social housing.
	The Housing Corporation and Salford University are working together to support 14 pilot CLTs, seven in rural areas and seven in urban areas.
	CLTs were also invited to bid for Housing Corporation funds through the National Affordable Housing Programme this year.

Zero-carbon Housing

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what progress her Department has made in discussions with manufacturers of building materials on the development of materials for the construction of zero-carbon housing.

Yvette Cooper: Through the 2016 Taskforce, we are having constructive discussions with the Construction Products Association, which represents the UK's manufacturers and suppliers of construction products components and fittings, about a range of issues associated with the delivery of zero carbon homes, including the Government's Standard Assessment Procedure for the Energy Rating of Dwellings.

Comprehensive Spending Review

Philip Dunne: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what representations she has received from local authorities on the effects of demographic trends on grant allocations made under the comprehensive spending review.

Hazel Blears: We have received a number of representations from local authorities on various issues relating to population and grant distribution. Issues include the time lag in funding for fast growing populations; adequately reflecting changes in international immigration; taking into account population mobility; and taking into account short-term migration, illegal immigrants and temporary residents.

Asylum: Higher Education

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what her Department's policy is on whether local authorities may pay fees for asylum seekers to attend university on the basis that such persons are UK residents or foreign students; and if she will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: I have been asked to reply.
	The fees for international students including those who are seeking asylum are not regulated. Higher education institutions are therefore able to determine the fee that they charge. Asylum seekers are not eligible for tuition fee loans from the Government.

Charity Commission: Accountability

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the Statement by the Prime Minister of 14 November 2007,  Official Report, columns 667-672, on national security, when she expects the new unit in the Charity Commission to strengthen governance and accountability announced by the Prime Minister to be set up; what she expects its costs to be; and how she plans to measure the effectiveness of this unit.

Parmjit Dhanda: The Charity Commission launched its new Faith and Social Cohesion Unit on 9 November 2007.
	The budget for the new unit is £1.4 million over the course of 2007-08 and 2008-09. This will be jointly funded by DCLG and the Commission.
	The Commission is currently working with a range of partners to finalise its success measures, which will include the number of new registrations of Muslim charities.

Community Relations: Religion

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the Statement of the Prime Minister of 14 November 2007,  Official Report, columns 667-72, on national security, when she expects to announce the independent review to examine with communities how to build the capacity of Islamic seminaries referred to by the Prime Minister; who she expects to carry out the review; when she expects it to report; what she expects its costs to be; and if she will make a statement.

Parmjit Dhanda: Details of the review are currently being developed, working closely with Muslim stakeholders, academics, theologians and others. We will announce further details in due course.

Community Relations: Religion

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the Statement of the Prime Minister of 14 November 2007,  Official Report, columns 667-72, on national security, when she expects the Green Paper on interfaith groups announced by the Prime Minister to be published.

Parmjit Dhanda: We intend to open consultation on an interfaith strategy in December.

Community Relations: Religion

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the Statement by the Prime Minister of 14 November 2007,  Official Report, columns 667-72, on national security, when she expects the advisory group on citizenship education classes run by mosque schools announced by the Prime Minister to be set up; who she expects its members to be; what she expects its costs to be; and if she will make a statement.

Parmjit Dhanda: In partnership with the Department for Children Schools and Families we are in discussion with a range of Muslim and educational stakeholders about establishing an advisory group and what its role will be. We expect the costs of the advisory group itself to be minimal. We will make further announcements once the advisory group is up and running.

Departmental Correspondence

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what percentage of inquiries received by her Department from the public were responded to within  (a) one week,  (b) 14 days,  (c) 28 days,  (d) two months and  (e) three months; and in what percentage of cases it took (i) over three months and (ii) over one year to respond.

Parmjit Dhanda: Information on the departmental handling of correspondence from Members of Parliament and Peers is published annually by the Cabinet Office. The 2006 annual report was published by way of a written ministerial statement on 28 March 2007,  Official Report, column 101WS. Information for 2007 will be published as soon as it is ready after the end of the calendar year.

Departmental ICT

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which manufacturers' software is used in her Department.

Parmjit Dhanda: According to central records Communities and Local Government uses software products from over 350 different manufacturers. However not all of these are end-user applications. For example, some products are used to manage systems, networks and security. The software suppliers with the largest Communities and Local Government footprint in terms of software products used on the corporate network and in our major web facing business applications are:
	Adobe Systems, Inc.
	Ahead Software AG
	Artemis International Solutions Corporation
	Business Objects
	Business Web Software
	Cognos, Inc.
	Hewlett-Packard
	IBM
	Macromedia, Inc.
	Mediasurface
	Microsoft Corporation
	Novell, Inc.
	Open Text Corporation
	Oracle Corporation
	SAPAG
	ScanSoft, Inc.
	Sun Microsystems, Inc.
	This list of manufacturers does not include software used in the Department's executive agencies, NDPBs or the Government offices.

Emergency Calls: Fire Services

Boris Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the average time taken to respond to an emergency telephone call by the fire brigade was in  (a) England,  (b) London and  (c) each London borough in each year since 1997.

Parmjit Dhanda: The following table shows the average response times taken by the fire and rescue services in London and England between 1997 to 2005, the most recent calendar year for which data are available. The table shows the time from the initial call to attendance, and the time from mobilisation to attendance (i.e. the actual driving time). Information for individual London boroughs is not available centrally.
	
		
			  Average response time (in minutes) to fires by brigade area and year of call, London, 1997 to 2005( 1,2,3) 
			  Year  England  London 
			   First call to attendance  Mobilisation to attendance  First call to attendance  Mobilisation to attendance 
			 1997 6.0 5.1 4.7 3.6 
			 1998 5.9 5.1 4.7 3.6 
			 1999 6.2 5.4 4.8 3.9 
			 2000 6.3 5.5 4.9 4.0 
			 2001 6.3 5.4 5.0 4.1 
			 2002 6.4 5.6 5.1 4.1 
			 2003 6.6 5.8 5.1 4.1 
			 2004 6.8 5.8 5.4 4.1 
			 2005 7.1 6.1 5.5 4.1 
			 (1) Excluding late call and heat and smoke damage only incidents. (2) Excluding incidents not recorded during periods of industrial action in 2002 and 2003. (3) A small number of incidents with response time greater than an hour have been excluded so that results are not skewed by likely reporting errors.

Equality and Human Rights Commission: Public Appointments

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what human rights expertise candidates for appointment as commissioners of the Equality and Human Rights Commission are required to demonstrate as part of the appointments process.

Barbara Follett: I have been asked to reply.
	Individuals with relevant knowledge or experience to enable the EHRC to deliver successful outcomes for equality and human rights were invited to apply for the post of commissioner.
	Candidates were asked to demonstrate in their application and interview:
	"a commitment to the equalities, human rights and good relations (social cohesion) agendas, and an understanding of the communities that the EHRC will champion and the issues they face".

Equality and Human Rights Commission: Public Appointments

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what factors she took into account in appointing Joel Edwards as a commissioner of the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

Barbara Follett: I have been asked to reply.
	Commissioners are appointed on the basis of relevant experience or knowledge of discrimination and human rights and the desirability of the commissioners together having experience and knowledge relating to the relevant matters.
	Joel Edwards was appointed as EHRC Commissioner following a comprehensive selection process consistent with the requirements of the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments. This involved detailed paper assessment and interview by an expert panel. A shortlist of candidates was put to the Lord Privy Seal for her final agreement.

Equality and Human Rights Commission: Standards

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what arrangements are in place for periodic review of the work of the Equality and Human Rights Commission; and if she will make a statement.

Barbara Follett: I have been asked to reply.
	Although the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is an independent body, it is required like all non departmental public bodies to operate under the terms of a Management Statement and Financial Framework document, in this case agreed with the Lord Privy Seal. In addition, the EHRC is required by statute to:
	prepare a statement of accounts in respect of each financial year in such form as the Lord Privy Seal may direct;
	for each financial year prepare a report on the performance of its functions in that year; and
	prepare and regularly review its strategic plan, and send the plan and each revision to the Lord Privy Seal who must lay a copy before Parliament.
	The Commission will be held to account annually to Parliament on the use of public funds.
	There is close liaison between the Government Equalities Office and the EHRC which enables Government to monitor, inform and review the EHRCs progress against the responsibilities set out in the Equality Act 2006.

Fire Services: Hoaxes and False Alarms

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps the Government have taken to reduce the numbers of false alarms for the fire service since 1997.

Parmjit Dhanda: My Department published guidance on reducing the number of false alarms from fire-detection and fire-alarms systems in 2004. Since then, the Government have introduced the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. This sets out the duties of the responsible person for fire safety in non-domestic premises, part of which includes maintenance of fire precautions. The Government expect fire and rescue services to adopt policies that allow them to respond to real fires without being distracted by false alarms.

Floods

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate she has made of the costs to local authorities arising from repair and restoration of infrastructure damaged by flooding in 2007.

Phil Woolas: I have been asked to reply.
	The Association of British Insurers Statement of Principles aims to ensure continued widespread availability of flood cover for households in flood risk areas. It does not extend to the cost implications of additional landfill tax or uninsured losses.

Government Office for London

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will make a statement on the future of the Government office for London.

Parmjit Dhanda: The Government office for London represents central Government in London and will continue to do so. It delivers a range of central Government functions on behalf of Ministers from 11 Whitehall Departments. These functions include negotiating local area agreements with London boroughs, undertaking Secretary of State planning casework, and co-ordinating civil emergency and resilience preparations across the capital.

Housing: Low Incomes

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps the Government has taken to increase the availability of affordable housing in the West Midlands since 1997.

Iain Wright: In 2003 my right hon. Friend the Member for Hull, East (Mr. Prescott), as Deputy Prime Minister, published "Sustainable Communities: building for the future", a document setting out a programme of action to tackle key housing problems including lack of affordable housing.
	The programme of actions included the establishment of Regional Housing Boards in each of the regions to develop a Regional Housing Strategy on which to base advice to Ministers about strategic housing priorities and allocation of housing capital funding from the new Regional Housing Pot.
	The West Midlands Regional Housing Board (RHB), in its first West Midlands Regional Housing Strategy published 2005, identified the need for affordable housing as a key regional priority, particularly in the south and west of the region.
	On that basis the RHB made recommendations to Ministers about allocations of funding for the Affordable Housing Programme (formerly Approved Development Programme—ADP), administered by the Housing Corporation, resulting in an allocation to the West Midlands of £377 million pounds over the period 2004-05 to 2007-08, to subsidise delivery of 8,500 new affordable homes.
	Prior to the formation of the RHB, the ADP was allocated on an annual basis through the Housing Corporation and in 2003-04 the allocation was £84.11 million. Therefore, over the five year period 2003-04 to 2007-08 allocations to the West Midlands for the provision of new affordable housing total £460 million.
	In October 2007 the Government announced their overall funding for housing capital allocations for 2008-11. The West Midlands was allocated £209 million for 2008-09 (18 per cent. higher than 2007-08); £228 million for 2009-10 (11 per cent. in-year rise), and £245 million for 2010-11 (7 per cent. in-year rise).
	This additional funding comes with a higher target for delivery of affordable housing, with the West Midlands expected to achieve 10,800 new affordable homes over the period 2008-11.

Housing: Low Incomes

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 14 November 2007,  Official Report, column 329W, on housing: low incomes, how many  (a) local authority and  (b) housing association socially rented houses will be built in each region in (i) 2007-08, (ii) 2008-09 and (iii) 2009-10.

Iain Wright: holding answer 26 November 2007
	We are on course to deliver 30,000 social rented homes in 2007-08. Of these we are expecting 28,000 to be provided through Housing Corporation's Affordable Housing Programme. The remainder will be through other sources including local authorities who we estimate will provide around 300 social rented homes.
	The following table shows forecast social rented completions by region through the Housing Corporation's Affordable Housing Programme for 2007-08
	
		
			  Region  Forecast 
			 North East 518 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 907 
			 North West 1,932 
			 East of England 3,794 
			 East Midlands 1,517 
			 West Midlands 1,448 
			 London 8,004 
			 South East 4,727 
			 South West 2,781 
			 Total 25,682 
			  Note: The balance to 28,000 will be made up by completions through recycled capital grant fund which cannot be forecast by region. 
		
	
	In 2007-08 we are providing over £2.0 billion to the Housing Corporation for the provision of affordable housing. We have made available funding totalling some £2.5 billion in 2008-09 and £2.8 billion in 2009-10 to support delivery of new affordable homes. Decisions have yet to be finalised as to the distribution of this funding and the resulting homes between the regions. The funding is being made available to bids from both housing associations, developers and local authorities through the Housing Corporation's bidding round for the National Affordable Housing Programme.

Housing: West Midlands

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much the Government have spent on housing in the West Midlands since 1997.

Iain Wright: In the period 1997-98 to 2007-08 the Government have allocated a total of £1.599 billion capital funding to West Midlands local housing authorities.
	This total funding includes:
	£1.092 billion for non-specific housing investment for the 34 local housing authorities in the region;
	£114 million to support local authorities' investment in Disabled Facilities Grants for people with disabilities that necessitate adaptations to their homes;
	£195 million to the two Housing Market Renewal Pathfinders in Sandwell and North Staffordshire for investment to address housing low demand and regeneration; and
	£198 million to the three arms length management organisations in Solihull, Sandwell and Wolverhampton to ensure that the all the council homes in those areas are brought up to the Decent Homes standard.
	In addition to the funding allocated directly to local housing authorities, there is separate Government funding (the Affordable Housing Pot, formerly Approved Development Programme), administered by the Housing Corporation in each region, to deliver new affordable housing.
	Since 2003-04, allocations to the West Midlands from the Affordable Housing Pot have totalled £461 million.

Local Authorities: Children

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  if she will assess the effects on local authorities of the legislative framework for meeting the needs of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children;
	(2)  what assessment her Department has made of the pressures on local authorities arising from meeting the needs of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children and care leavers.

Kevin Brennan: holding answer 20 November 2007
	I have been asked to reply.
	Local authority services for unaccompanied asylum seeking children are governed by the same legislative framework as services for all other children in the community.
	The Department collects statistical information on an annual basis concerned with all children looked after by local authorities; including children who enter care because they are unaccompanied asylum seekers (UASC) with no adult in this country able to take responsibility for their care. The DCSF manages the UASC Leaving Care Costs Grant, which is intended to provide assistance for local authorities towards meeting the leaving care costs of supporting unaccompanied asylum seeker children.

Planning Permission: Quarrying

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what discussions she has had with Rochdale metropolitan borough council on the planning application to re-open Ding quarry and the associated environmental impact assessment.

Iain Wright: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State would not discuss the application for new operating conditions for Ding quarry in view of her quasi-judicial role in relation to any appeal which might be submitted in the future. The Department has offered informal and general advice to Rochdale metropolitan borough council about the procedure and timescale for applying environmental impact assessment to reviews of mineral permissions for dormant quarries and also about the mineral permission review legislation as it applies to dormant quarries.

Planning: Quarrying

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what consideration she has given to the compatibility of existing planning permissions for dormant quarries and planning and environment law.

Iain Wright: Planning permissions for active and dormant quarries are compatible with current planning and environment law. However, mineral permissions do differ from other planning permissions in that many were granted just after the Second World War and they can involve continuous development over many years, and sometimes decades. As with other planning permissions, mineral consents and permissions are property rights which cannot, in general, be taken away with without compensation. The Planning and Compensation Act 1991 and the Environment Act 1995 introduced legislation to initially review old mineral permissions granted before 22 February 1982 and then periodically review, at 15 year intervals, all mineral permissions to ensure that operations are in accordance with conditions which reflect the most up to date environmental standards. In 2000, regulations were introduced applying environmental impact assessment to reviews of mineral permissions where the remaining development is likely to have significant effects on the environment.

Quarrying

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent discussions  (a) she and  (b) her officials have had with quarry owners on re-opening dormant quarries.

Iain Wright: Neither Ministers in my Department nor my officials have had recent discussions with quarry owners on re-opening dormant quarries.

Quarrying: Finance

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of the economic effects of re-opening dormant quarries.

Iain Wright: The Department has made no assessment of the economic effects of re-opening dormant quarries.

Social Rented Housing: Construction

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many  (a) local authority and  (b) housing association socially rented houses were built in each (i) region and (ii) local authority area in each year from 1997 to 2006.

Iain Wright: holding answer 26 November 2007
	The following table shows the number of local authority and registered social landlord new build social rent houses for each year from 1996-97 to 2005-06, by region.
	
		
			   1996-97  1997-98  1998-99  1999-2000  2000-01  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			  Registered social landlord social rent new builds (including section 106 100 per cent. develop funded)   
			 North East 846 1,059 817 702 470 713 289 519 565 660 
			 North West 3,884 2,656 2,971 2,163 2,022 2,102 2,031 1,123 1,219 1,175 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 2,000 2,008 1,392 1,388 1,276 1,229 1,065 1,145 1,046 1,229 
			 East Midlands 1,585 1,462 1,507 1,210 1,132 1,111 1,103 1,009 1,111 1,388 
			 West Midlands 2,828 2,078 2,184 2,459 2,031 1,586 2,075 1,597 1,919 2,185 
			 East 3,625 2,477 2,842 1,929 2,061 2,182 2,165 2,384 2,583 2,808 
			 London 5,761 3,997 3,852 3,603 3,938 4,201 3,363 4,170 4,166 4,762 
			 South East 5,643 4,864 4,627 3,667 3,043 3,283 3,269 3,707 3,718 3,831 
			 South West 2,974 3,091 2,237 2,395 2,080 2,167 1,951 2,478 1,976 2,605 
			 England 29,146 23,692 22,429 19,516 18,053 18,574 17,311 18,132 18,303 20,643 
			
			  Local authority social rent new builds
			 North East 38 9 7 4 — — — 18 — 88 
			 North West — — — — — — 8 9 — 3 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 16 16 1 3 — 4 — — — — 
			 East Midlands 164 103 77 7 8 — 21 24 — 103 
			 West Midlands 13 18 — 11 52 — 6 110 — 20 
			 East 69 36 6 — — 22 63 3 2 40 
			 London 23 52 35 — 79 27 71 12 — 4 
			 South East 30 30 15 12 19 — 21 — 92 36 
			 South West 98 59 37 21 21 10 9 15 6 5 
			 England 451 323 178 58 179 63 199 191 100 299 
			  Source: Housing Corporation and returns from local authorities 
		
	
	Social rent new build is only part of total affordable housing supply. In 2005-06, for example, acquisitions added a further 2,407 social rent dwellings, and total affordable supply including intermediate rent and low cost home ownership was 44,923.
	A table showing information of total social rent (registered social landlord plus local authority) new build by local authority has been placed in the Library of the House.

HEALTH

18 Weeks Programme: Finance

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the annual budget of the Central Secretariat for his Department's 18 weeks programme is.

Ben Bradshaw: Departmental servants provide the secretariat to the 18 weeks programme as part of their wider responsibilities. The cost of the secretariat function is not recorded separately.

18 Weeks Programme: Internet

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the annual cost of running the website for his Department's 18 weeks programme is.

Ben Bradshaw: In the period November 2006 to October 2007 the annual cost of running the 18 weeks website was £108,508. This includes staff costs, website development and maintenance.
	Nearly 9,000 people are registered with the website and receive regular updates on 18 weeks programme developments and support. Over 1,100 people visit the website every day.

Abortion: Medical Ethics

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will introduce legislation to amend section 4 of the Abortion Act 1967 to remove the duty on a physician with a conscientious objection to treatment under the Act from having to prove it; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: Section 4 of the Abortion Act provides that, except where treatment is necessary to save the life of, or prevent grave permanent injury to, the pregnant woman,
	"no person shall be under any duty, whether by contract or by any statutory or other legal requirement, to participate in any treatment authorised by this Act to which he has a conscientious objection".
	A doctor is only required to prove that they have a conscientious objection should the matter arise in legal proceedings.
	It is accepted parliamentary practice that proposals for changes in the law on abortion come from Back-Bench Members and that decisions are made on the basis of free votes. The Government have no plans to change the law on abortion.

Alcoholic Drinks: Misuse

Stephen Hesford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what provision the alcohol harm reduction strategy contains for the treatment of under-18 year olds; and what associated initiatives are located in Wirral West constituency.

Kevin Brennan: I have been asked to reply.
	'Safe. Sensible. Social'. The updated alcohol harm reduction strategy for England identifies under-18s as a priority group for Government action on alcohol and sets out the reduction of drinking by young people as a Government objective. Actions specifically aimed at addressing young people's alcohol misuse include producing guidance for young people and their parents about what is and what is not safe; a social marketing campaign to challenge attitudes around drinking; and tackling underage sales.
	£25 million has been allocated in this financial year for treatment for under-18s from the adult pooled treatment budget for substance misuse. Alcohol is the biggest presenting problem for those under-18s who access treatment. The adult pooled treatment budget can also be accessed if local strategic partnerships identify greater need and adult targets have been met.
	On the basis of information supplied by the Wirral dug and alcohol action team, (DAAT), there are a number of initiatives in Wirral West that aim to reduce the harms associated with substance misuse, including alcohol young people, through the Young People's Substance Misuse Service. They are:
	School drug advisers: support all schools in Wirral in developing policies for drug education and managing drug-related incidents;
	School nurses/looked after nurses: provide screening and basic information to young people;
	Connexions: provides a universal support service designed for and with young people;
	Churches Action on Substance Misuse (third sector);
	Forum Housing (third sector): provides support to young people living in supported accommodation;
	Sports and recreation (regeneration): offers diversionary activity to young people at risk of or involved in substance misuse;
	Response: works with organisations, which provide services to young people at risk of or involved in alcohol misuse;
	Youth offending services;
	Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS): responds to the needs of young people with complex substance misuse problems.

Blood: Donors

Fraser Kemp: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much blood was donated via the national blood donor scheme in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Dawn Primarolo: The National Blood Service (NBS) is responsible for managing the blood supply in England and North Wales. In the last five financial years, the NBS collected the following amounts:
	
		
			   Units of blood collected( 1)  (million ) 
			 2002-03 2.323 
			 2003-04 2.285 
			 2004-05 2.143 
			 2005-06 2.012 
			 2006-07 1.969 
			 (1) These figures are rounded to the nearest 10,000.

Bone Diseases: Medical Treatments

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will ensure that patients with ankylosing spondylitis do not face delays in receiving the two anti-TNF treatments recently approved by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) if the final appraisal decision is delayed by an appeal in support of the one anti-TNF treatment that NICE rejected.

Dawn Primarolo: Funding for licensed treatments should not be withheld because guidance from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is unavailable. In December 2006, we issued refreshed good practice guidance which asks national health service bodies to continue with local arrangements for the managed introduction of new technologies where guidance from NICE is not available at the time the treatment or technology first becomes available.

Cancer: Drugs

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in trials of the cancer drug sorafenib; and when a decision on the licensing of sorafenib will be made.

Dawn Primarolo: The European Commission adopted a decision on the licensing of sorafenib on 19 July 2006 for treatment in advanced renal cell carcinoma. This marketing authorisation is valid across the Community. On 29 October 2007, the Commission issued a decision extending the indication for sorafenib to include treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Care Homes: Standards

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to review the implementation of the National Framework for NHS Continuing Healthcare; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The National Framework for National Health Service Continuing Healthcare and NHS-funded Nursing Care will be reviewed on 30 September 2008.

Chlamydia Infection: Screening

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what resources will be made available to local chlamydia screening teams to implement the National Chlamydia Screening Programme's men's strategy.

Dawn Primarolo: In February 2005, individual primary care trusts (PCTs) were notified of their funding for implementing the targets in the White Paper 'Choosing Health: making healthy choices easier'. For chlamydia screening, £70 million was allocated in PCTs mainstream allocations for 2006-07 and 2007-08. It is for strategic health authorities and PCTs to determine how this funding is allocated to meet the health care needs of their local populations. A copy of the White Paper is available in the Library.
	The men's strategy, launched in conjunction with the Men's Health Forum in November, identifies how the Health Protection Agency, who manage the programme, will work with PCTs and local chlamydia screening programmes to increase screening in men.

Clinical Trials: Advisory Services

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will hold discussions with the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence on improving access for the general public to information relating to  (a) drug trials and  (b) timetables of drug trials.

Dawn Primarolo: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has no role in the timetabling of drug trials or in the provision of information on drug trials to the general public. NICE'S role is to provide national guidance on promoting good health and preventing and treating ill health, including advice on the clinical and cost effectiveness of medicines and other treatments.
	Clinical trials are registered on the publicly accessible International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number Register which is available at:
	www.controlled-trials.com/isrctn/
	and the UK Clinical Research Network Portfolio Database which is available at:
	www.pfsearch.ukcrn.org.uk/.

Connecting for Health Programme: Finance

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much he expects Connecting for Health to cost in each financial year from 2007-08 to 2010-11, broken down into  (a) resource and  (b) capital costs.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department's NHS Connecting for Health agency is responsible both for ensuring delivery of the IT systems for the national programme for information technology, and for maintaining the critical business systems previously provided to the national health service by the former NHS Information Authority. Information covering all the agency's responsibilities is in the table.
	Figures for 2008-09 to 2010-11 are those used to inform the comprehensive spending review, announced by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 9 October. However, these will be subject to revision as the agency responds over time to the evolving IT needs of the NHS.
	
		
			  £ million 
			   Revenue  Capital 
			 2007-08 (forecast outturn) 500.0 826.0 
			 2008-09 853.2 826.0 
			 2009-10 786.9 1049.7 
			 2010-11 785.9 835.8

Departmental Public Expenditure

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will provide a breakdown of his Department's capital underspend in 2006-07; and how much of that underspend was due to changes in the timetable for the delivery of the Connecting for Health programme.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department's Resource Accounts 2006-07 includes a breakdown of the capital underspend in 2006-07. These accounts were laid before Parliament on 15 October 2007 and a copy is available in the Library. Changes to the timetable for the delivery of the Connecting for Health programme has resulted in capital slippage of £466 million in 2006-07.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what date his Department's proposals for  (a) the outsourcing of NHS logistics and  (b) the advanced contract for pandemic influenza vaccine were (i) referred to and (ii) approved by HM Treasury.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department's proposal for the outsourcing of national health service logistics was referred to HM Treasury on 3 August 2006 and approval was granted on 4 September 2006. The Department's proposals for advanced supply contracts for pandemic influenza vaccine were referred to HM Treasury on 9 May 2007 and HM Treasury approval was granted on 1 June.

Depressive Illnesses

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were treated for depression in each primary care trust in each of the last 10 years.

Ivan Lewis: Information is not collected centrally about diagnoses for any condition in primary care, so reliable data is not available about the number of people who have been treated for depression in each primary care trust for any year.
	We estimate that around seven million adults in England have a common mental health problem, which will include depression, and that approximately 90 per cent. of those people are managed entirely within primary care.
	However, we know that there is a significant level of unmet need for people suffering with depression. This is why the Government announced on 10 October its commitment to building a new psychological therapy service, with additional investment rising to £170 million over the next three years. By 2011, this service will help to treat 900,000 more people with depression, anxiety and other conditions.

Drugs: Internet

Brian Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will introduce regulations to restrict the  (a) supply and  (b) prescription of drugs over the internet.

Dawn Primarolo: In the United Kingdom there are strict legal controls on the retail sale, supply and advertisement of medicinal products. It is unlawful for medicinal products for human use to be marketed, manufactured, imported from a third country, distributed and sold or supplied in the UK except in accordance with the appropriate licences or exemptions. These legal controls apply equally to medicines for human use sold or supplied via internet or e-mail transactions.
	Medicines legislation does not prohibit the remote prescribing of prescription medicines by a practitioner. These prescriptions must meet the usual requirements set down in medicines legislation.
	Medicines that are brought into the UK by an individual for his or her own personal use or that of a member of his/her family, including those purchased via the internet and by mail order, are not regarded as being imported for sale or supply, because they are not going to be placed on the market by that individual and accordingly are not subject to the controls of medicines legislation. There are no plans at this time to change the legislation.
	Websites based overseas fall outside the control of UK medicines legislation. The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency works closely with international regulatory authorities to ensure that, wherever possible, offending websites are amended to reflect the law.

East Midlands Regional Strategic Health Authority

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what public consultation meetings will be held by East Midlands Regional Strategic Health Authority in December 2007; what the purpose of those meetings is; and who has been invited to them.

Ivan Lewis: We understand that East Midlands Strategic Health Authority has no plans to hold any meetings as part of formal public consultations in the east midlands during December.

General Practitioners: Easington

John Cummings: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many practising NHS general practitioners there are in Easington constituency; and what the ratio of GPs to head of population is in the constituency.

Ben Bradshaw: The information requested is not available at constituency level. The following table shows the number of general medical practitioners (excluding retainers and registrars) per 100,000 population in the County Durham Primary Care Trust area as at 30 September 2006.
	
		
			  Number (headcount) and percentage 
			   GMPs (excluding retainers and registrars)( 1)  GMPs (excluding retainers and registrars)( 1)  per100,000 population 
			 England 33,091 65.3 
			 County Durham PCT 345 69.0 
			 (1) General medical practitioners (excluding retainers and registrars) includes GP providers and GP others  Sources: The Information Centre for health and social care General and Personal Medical Services Statistics Resident Population Estimates, Office for National Statistics

General Practitioners: Greater London

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many GPs there are per head of population in  (a) Havering and  (b) London.

Ben Bradshaw: The information requested is held at primary care trust (PCT) and strategic health authority (SHA) level.
	The latest figures available for general practitioners (GPs) per head of population at Havering PCT and London SHA can be found in the following table.
	
		
			  Health organisation  GPs per population as at September 2006 
			 Havering PCT 54.8 
			 London SHA 64.8

Health Centres

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the planned health centres to be open for seven days a week will be additional to the existing network.

Ben Bradshaw: Yes. The £250 million access fund announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 10 October is for additional primary medical care services beyond existing provision.

Health Services: Speech Impaired

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he has issued to general practitioners on referring children with a speech, language or communication disability to an appropriate service; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 26 November 2007
	No such guidance has been issued.
	The ability to communicate is fundamental to a child's learning and development. 'Aiming High for Disabled Children: better support for families' (published by HM Treasury and Department for Education and Skills, May 2007) recognised the importance of therapy services, such speech and language therapy, as being key to improving outcomes.
	On 11 September my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Health and the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families announced a review of services for children and young people with speech, language and communications needs. The review will be lead by the hon. Member for Buckingham (John Bercow).
	The review will build on the investment and improvements to speech and language therapy and the resources made available in the last 10 years. The review will advise on a number of areas including examples of good practice in commissioning and delivering services which are responsive to the needs of children, young people and families and which can be viewed as benchmarks for the delivery of local services across England.
	The review will make an interim report in March 2008 and a full report by July 2008.

Human Papilloma Virus: Vaccination

Joan Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Health who is responsible for the implementation of the national vaccination programme for human papilloma virus.

Dawn Primarolo: Primary care trusts (PCTs) will be responsible for local planning and delivery of the vaccination programme. National guidance will be issued by the Department in order to assist PCTs in their work.

Human Papilloma Virus: Vaccination

Joan Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what mechanisms will be used to  (a) audit the take-up of the human papilloma virus vaccine through the national vaccination programme and  (b) ensure comprehensive coverage of women over 16 years of age in the programme.

Dawn Primarolo: National immunisation statistics for primary care trusts (PCTs) in England will be collected by the Department.
	PCTs will be responsible for commissioning immunisation services to vaccinate girls under the age of 18 as part of a catch-up programme. Mechanisms to achieve this will be decided by individual trusts.
	The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has advised that human papilloma virus vaccination would be most efficiently delivered through schools.

Influenza

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  with reference to the answer of 15 October 2007,  Official Report, column 923W, on influenza, what plans he has to stockpile antibiotics for use in the event of an influenza pandemic;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the number of courses of antivirals which would be required in order to offer chemoprophylaxis protection to NHS staff against future occurrence of the disease in the event of an influenza pandemic.

Dawn Primarolo: The range of antibiotics needed to treat bacterial complications arising from pandemic influenza has been identified and published in the form of Clinical Management Guidelines.
	The Government have secured a stockpile of H5N1 vaccine for use by health care workers and is also progressing work to ensure that the appropriate face masks are made available to them. The current stockpile of antivirals is intended for the treatment of symptomatic cases, not prophylaxis. There are currently no plans to offer them to NHS staff for prophylaxis in the event of an influenza pandemic.

Influenza

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to the Answer of 15 October 2007,  Official Report, column 923W, on influenza, if he will estimate the proportion of excess deaths in each year since 1997-98 which occurred in those vaccinated against seasonal influenza.

Dawn Primarolo: This information is not held centrally.

Influenza

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the current thresholds are for  (a) baseline and  (b) epidemic seasonal influenza activity, expressed in terms of the general practitioner consultation rate per 100,000 population; what the evidential basis underpinning these thresholds was; what representations his Department has received from (i) the Health Protection Agency and (ii) other interested parties on these thresholds; what discussions officials in his Department have had with the Health Protection Agency on the subject of thresholds for influenza activity; what the content of such discussions was; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The current thresholds for baseline and epidemic seasonal flu activity is as follows:
	GP consultation rates of 0 to 30 per 100,000 population per week—baseline activity rates of 30 to 200 per 100,000 population per week—normal seasonal activity rates of >200 per 100,000 population per week—epidemic activity.
	The threshold level was changed in 2004-05 following assessment of the indicators of influenza activity by the Health Protection Agency, and in discussion with the Birmingham Research Unit of the Royal College of General Practitioners and the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation Respiratory Panel.
	The Department has asked the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence to review the use of antivirals and threshold levels used for seasonal influenza.

Influenza: Vaccination

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations his Department has received from  (a) officials in the Health Protection Agency and  (b) other interested parties on the effectiveness of vaccination against seasonal influenza; what the content of these representations was; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The aim of the Government's influenza immunisation policy is to protect those who are most at risk of serious illness or death should they develop influenza. Although vaccination may not protect all elderly people from flu virus infection experts, including those from the Health Protection Agency (HPA), advise that the majority of those immunised benefit by suffering a less severe illness. The HPA press release of 24 October endorsed the Government's influenza vaccine campaign.
	United Kingdom policy is constantly under review by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation to take into consideration all available evidence. A new study from the HPA on the causes of winter hospital admissions adds to the evidence base.

Influenza: Vaccination

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which groups of workers are eligible for  (a) antiviral chemoprophylaxis and  (b) vaccination against A/H5N1 in the event of an outbreak of avian influenza.

Dawn Primarolo: Based upon detailed risk assessments during an outbreak, all workers, and others, who are identified as having been at risk of exposure to the H5N1 virus will be offered chemoprophylactic preventative treatment with the antiviral Oseltamivir (Tamiflu) within 24-48 hours of disease confirmation. Additionally, all workers who are identified as being at risk of potential exposure, for example through engagement in culling and disposal of birds, will be offered antiviral chemoprophylaxis prior to commencing these activities.
	All those offered antiviral prophylaxis will also be offered seasonal influenza vaccine. Vaccination with H5N1 vaccine is not offered during outbreaks of avian flu. There is a small stock of H5N1 vaccine which is held for possible use in the event of a human flu pandemic.

Influenza: Vaccination

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to strengthen the criteria for prioritisation of vaccination in the event of an influenza pandemic, as recommended by his Department's Joint Committee on Vaccinations and Immunisations at its meeting of 20 June 2007.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department has commissioned a series of studies to predict the impact of vaccinating specific risk groups, including strategies that prevent the spread of disease as well as preventing flu cases and flu-related deaths. This work is being used to develop a detailed strategy for the prioritisation of pandemic flu vaccine.

Liver Diseases

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were admitted to hospital in England as a consequence of  (a) alcoholic liver disease and  (b) cirrhosis in each of the last 10 years.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is in the following table:
	
		
			  Data for NHS hospitals England for 1996-97 to 2005-06 
			   Alcoholic liver disease  Cirrhosis of the liver 
			 2005-06 39,725 24,042 
			 2004-05 35,909 20,800 
			 2003-04 32,070 18,355 
			 2002-03 28,645 16,700 
			 2001-02 25,757 15,182 
			 2000-01 23,777 14,663 
			 1999-00 22,482 14,502 
			 1998-99 19,531 13,834 
			 1997-98 18,205 12,749 
			 1996-97 16,252 11,806 
			  Notes:   Ungrossed Data Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data (i.e. the data are ungrossed).  Assessing growth through time Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) figures are available from 1989-90 onwards. During the years that these records have been collected the National Health Service there have been ongoing improvements in quality and coverage. These improvements in information submitted by the NHS have been particularly marked in the earlier years and need to be borne in mind when analysing time series. Changes in NHS practice also need to be borne in mind when analysing time series. For example a number of procedures may now be undertaken in outpatient settings and may no longer be accounted in the HES data. This may account for any reductions in activity over time.  Data Quality HES are compiled from data sent by over 300 NHS trusts and primary care trusts in England. The Information Centre for health and social care liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data via HES processes. While this brings about improvement over time, some shortcomings remain.  Finished admission episodes (FAE) A FAE is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. Admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year.  All Diagnoses count of episodes These figures represent a count of all FAEs where the diagnosis was mentioned in any of the 14 (7 prior to 2002-03) diagnosis fields in a HES record.  ICD10 code used for Alcoholic Liver Disease = K70 ICD10 code used for Cirrhosis of Liver: K70.3 Alcoholic cirrhosis of liver K71.7 Toxic liver disease with fibrosis and cirrhosis of liver K74.3 Primary biliary cirrhosis K74.4 Secondary biliary cirrhosis K74.5 Biliary cirrhosis, unspecified K74.6 Other and unspecified cirrhosis of liver. 
		
	
	Code K70.3 is also included within the data for Alcoholic Liver Disease. These figures should not be added together as this would cause double counting.

NHS: EU Nationals

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what his estimate is of the number of French nationals in the UK who have accessed NHS services in each of the last five years;
	(2)  what the cost to the public purse has been of French nationals living in the UK accessing NHS services in each of the last five years.

Dawn Primarolo: Entitlement to free national health service hospital treatment is based upon ordinary residence in the United Kingdom, not nationality or payment of taxes. Successive Governments have not required the NHS to submit statistics on the number of foreign nationals living in the UK who have accessed NHS services, nor any costs to the public purse involved. It is therefore not possible to provide this information.

NHS: Finance

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to the Answer of 23 October 2007,  Official Report, column 272W, on NHS: Finance, how many NHSnet users there are; and what personally identifiable information is contained in the programme budgeting atlases.

Ben Bradshaw: The Programme Budget Atlases contain no direct personally identifiable information in the sense of names, identification numbers, postcodes etc. However, some of the statistics contained within the atlases are based on very small numbers of events and may, therefore, have the potential to identify an individual. There are now some 300,000 registered NHSnet users, over 132,000 of whom use the system on a daily basis.

Primary Care Trusts: Finance

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how much money will be transferred to primary care trusts from the Ministry of Justice in each financial year between 2008-09 and 2010-11 to fund the transfer of responsibility for healthcare escorts and bedwatches;
	(2)  whether the money to fund healthcare escorts and bedwatches from 2008-09 will be drawn from the budget of his Department.

Ivan Lewis: The total budget for healthcare escorts and bedwatches activity in a 2005-06 audit indicated an annual spend of £16.9 million(1).
	This amount, uplifted for pay, prices, population changes and where applicable, local allowances, will be transferred from the Ministry of Justice to this Department for each year covered by the current comprehensive spending review settlement.
	Primary care trusts will shortly receive a communication confirming their allocations for the provision of healthcare escort and bedwatches services for each prison establishment in England for this period. Allocations for 2008-09 will be based on local historical spend as identified in the audit. Allocations for 2009-10 and beyond will then be re-distributed based on a fair shares model agreed with Her Majesty's Prison Service, which will take into account a number of factors including prison type, category and operational capacity.
	Final adjustments are currently under way.
	 Source:
	(1) A Twelve Month Study of Prison Healthcare Escorts and Bedwatches, Department of Health, 2006.

Prostate Cancer

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the survival rate of those treated for prostate cancer in  (a) Barking, Havering and Redbridge NHS Trust and  (b) London NHS trusts is.

Angela Eagle: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 27 November 2007:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what the survival rate of those treated for prostate cancer in a) Barking, Havering and Redbridge NHS Trust and b) London NHS trusts is. I am replying in her absence. (167293)
	Survival rates by NHS Trust are not available, but one and five-year survival for eight common cancers including prostate cancer by government office region and strategic health authority, for patients diagnosed in 1997-99 and followed up to 31 December 2004, are available on the National Statistics website at:
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk=11991 &Pos=9&ColRank=l&Rank=272

Queen's Hospital Romford: Alcoholic Drinks

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many alcohol related injuries were treated in accident and emergency at Queen's Hospital, Romford, since its establishment.

Ben Bradshaw: The information requested is not held centrally.

Queen's Hospital Romford: Epilepsy

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans there are to appoint a specialist epilepsy nurse at Queen's hospital, Romford.

Ben Bradshaw: We are informed that Barking, Havering and Redbridge Hospitals National Health Service Trust has funding for an epilepsy nurse and will be advertising this post shortly.

Scientific Advisory Group on Pandemic Influenza

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  on what dates the Scientific Advisory Group on Pandemic Influenza met in 2007; and if he will place in the Library copies of the minutes of these meetings;
	(2)  if he will place a copy in the Library of the empirical evidence referred to in section 2.4 of his Department's Pandemic Influenza Scientific Advisory Group's Subgroup on Modelling summary, dated November 2007, which demonstrates that local epidemics of pandemic influenza will vary in profile between primary care trust areas;
	(3)  if he will consider the merits of a contingency strategy for an appropriate response in the event of an extreme pandemic as recommended in his Department's Pandemic Influenza Scientific Advisory Group's Subgroup on Modelling summary, dated November 2007.

Dawn Primarolo: The Scientific Advisory Group on Pandemic Influenza has not met in 2007.
	The empirical evidence referred to, from the Department's Pandemic Influenza Scientific Advisory Group's Subgroup on Modelling, concern 1918-19 influenza pandemic mortality data from England and Wales. The actual documents used by the Department are tables produced by Niall Johnson as part of his PhD project in the Department of Geography, University of Cambridge (1996-2001). The raw data in the Department's possession has been placed in the Library.
	The Pandemic Influenza Scientific Advisory Group's Subgroup on Modelling summary, dated November 2007 does not recommend a contingency strategy for an extreme pandemic.
	The modelling summary defines an extreme pandemic as one where the case fatality rate (CFR) is above the historic range, i.e. above 2.5 per cent. and indicates that a policy question is how the response might change for such a pandemic. It does not recommend Government devises a contingency strategy for the situation. It recommends: "Based on historical pandemics, a 'reasonable worst case' for a pandemic would be a CFR of 2.5 per cent." This is the upper end of the CFR range considered in the contingency planning as described in the cross-Government "national framework for responding to an influenza pandemic".

Sexually Transmitted Diseases: Havering

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) 15 to 19-year-olds and  (b) adults over the age of 19-years-old in the Havering Primary Care Trust area were (i) tested for and (ii) diagnosed with sexually transmitted infections in 2006.

Dawn Primarolo: Information on the number of people tested for sexually transmitted infections in genitourinary clinics (GUM) is not currently collected centrally.
	Information on the number of diagnoses in young people 15 to 19-years-old and adults over the age of 19 diagnosed in GUM clinics is only currently available at strategic health authority (SHA) level.
	Information for 2006 for the London SHA, which includes Havering Primary Care Trust (PCT) is given in the following table.
	
		
			   Chlamydia  Gonorrhoea  Syphilis  Herpes  Warts 
			 15 to 19 years 4,373 1,083 27 612 1,488 
			 Over 19 yrs 16,198 5,368 895 4,583 11,541 
			  Notes: 1. The data available from the KC60 statutory returns are for diagnoses made in GUM clinics only. Diagnoses made in other clinical settings, such as general practice, are not recorded in the KC60 dataset. 2. The data available from the KC60 statutory returns are the number of diagnoses made, not the number of patients diagnosed. Individual patients may have more than one diagnosis in a year. 3. The information provided has been adjusted for missing clinic data. 4. There is no reporting GUM clinic in the Havering PCT area. 5. Age groups are only available for chlamydia, gonorrhoea, primary and secondary syphilis, anogenital herpes and anogenital warts only. 6. STI testing data in GUM clinics is not collected by age group.  Source: Health Protection Agency, KC60 returns 
		
	
	In addition to diagnoses made in GUM clinics, the national chlamydia screening programme (NCSP) has been running since 2003 in England. Information according to postcode of residence for those who have had a test and are positively diagnosed within the Havering PCT for 2006 is given in the following table.
	
		
			  Years 
			   Age group 
			   15  to  19  20 to  24 
			 Tests 168 259 
			 Diagnoses 16 30 
			  Notes: 1. The data from the NCSP are for diagnoses made outside of GUM clinics and include diagnoses made by the Boots pathfinder project in London. 2. The data available from the NCSP are the number of tests and diagnoses made and not the number of patients tested and diagnosed. 3. The NCSP screens those aged under 25 years. 4. Data as of 15 November 2007  Source: National Chlamydia Screening Programme.

Skin Cancer

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will collate figures for five-year survival rates for skin cancer on a regional basis.

Angela Eagle: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 27 November 2007 :
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will collate figures for five-year survival rates for skin cancer on a regional basis. I am replying in her absence. (165504)
	As noted in a response to a similar question you asked previously (Official Report volume 467, No. 10, column 921W, 21 November 2007) sub-national analyses of survival from specific cancers are only routinely undertaken for eight cancers, and do not include skin cancer. Further there are no plans to produce equivalent figures for other cancer sites. However, figures are available for skin cancer diagnosed during 1971-90 in England and Wales, broken down by region, and were provided in the earlier reply.
	The sub-national analyses of survival for the eight cancers were produced in collaboration with the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM). LSHTM were funded by National Centre for Health Outcomes Development (NCHOD)/Department of Health to produce analyses for these eight common cancers only. These figures were used by the National Heath Service as part of the Compendium of Clinical and Health Indicators.

Smoking: Young People

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of  (a) 16 and  (b) 17 year olds who smoked in each year since 1978, broken down by sex.

Dawn Primarolo: The information is not available in the format requested. However, latest data on the percentage of adults aged 16 to 19 who smoke in Great Britain, broken down by gender are available from the 2005 General Household Survey and are shown in the following table.
	Reducing the number of young people who smoke is a Government priority, which is why the minimum age of sale was raised to 18 from 1 October. Sanctions against retailers who repeatedly flout the law on age of sale will also be introduced.
	
		
			  Prevalence of cigarette smoking by sex and age, Great Britain, 1974 to 2005 
			   Unweighted (percentage smoking cigarettes) 
			  Persons aged 16 and over  1974  1978  1982  1986  1990  1994  1998 
			  Men
			 16-19 42 35 31 30 28 28 30 
			 20-24 52 45 41 41 38 40 42 
			 25-34 56 48 40 37 36 34 37 
			 35-49 55 48 40 37 34 31 32 
			 50-59 53 48 42 35 28 27 27 
			 60 and over 44 38 33 29 24 18 16 
			 All aged 16 and over 51 45 38 35 31 28 28 
			 
			  Women
			 16-19 38 33 30 30 32 27 31 
			 20-24 44 43 40 38 39 38 39 
			 25-34 46 42 37 35 34 30 33 
			 35-49 49 43 38 34 33 28 28 
			 50-59 48 42 40 35 29 26 27 
			 60 and over 26 24 23 22 20 17 16 
			 All aged 16 and over 41 37 33 31 29 26 26 
			 
			  Total
			 16-19 40 34 30 30 30 27 31 
			 20-24 48 44 40 39 38 39 40 
			 25-34 51 45 38 36 35 32 35 
			 35-49 52 45 39 36 34 30 30 
			 50-59 51 45 41 35 29 27 27 
			 60 and over 34 30 27 25 21 17 16 
			 All aged 16 and over 45 40 35 33 30 27 27 
		
	
	
		
			   Weighted (percentage smoking cigarettes)   
			  Persons aged 16 and over  1998  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  Weighted base 2005 (000) = 100%  Unweighted sample( 1)  2005 
			  Men  
			 16-19 30 30 25 22 27 23 23 1,122 508 
			 20-24 41 35 40 37 38 36 34 1,362 586 
			 25-34 38 39 38 36 38 35 34 3,225 1,558 
			 35-49 33 31 31 29 32 31 29 5,296 2,724 
			 50-59 28 27 26 27 26 26 25 3,295 1,732 
			 60 and over 16 16 16 17 16 15 14 5,196 2,930 
			 All aged 16 and over 30 29 28 27 28 26 25 19,496 10,038 
			   
			  Women  
			 16-19 32 28 31 29 25 25 26 1,063 508 
			 20-24 39 35 35 38 34 29 30 1,654 763 
			 25-34 33 32 31 33 31 28 29 3,559 1,825 
			 35-49 29 27 28 27 28 28 26 6,137 3,213 
			 50-59 27 28 25 24 23 22 23 3,556 1,896 
			 60 and over 16 15 17 14 14 14 13 6,345 3,422 
			 All aged 16 and over 26 25 26 25 24 23 23 22,315 11,627 
			   
			  Total  
			 16-19 31 29 28 25 26 24 24 2,186 1,016 
			 20-24 40 35 37 38 36 32 32 3,016 1,349 
			 25-34 35 35 34 34 34 31 31 6,784 3,383 
			 35-49 31 29 29 28 30 29 27 11,433 5,937 
			 50-59 28 27 26 26 25 24 24 6,851 3,628 
			 60 and over 16 16 17 15 15 14 14 11,541 6,352 
			 All aged 16 and over 28 27 27 26 26 25 24 41,811 21,665 
			  Notes:  1. 2005 data include last quarter of 2004-05 data due to survey change from financial year to calendar year.  2. Trend tables show unweighted and weighted figures for 1998 to give an indication of the effect of the weighting. Bases for earlier years can be found in General Household Survey (GHS) reports for each year.   Source:  GHS, 2005. Office for National Statistics.

Tuberculosis

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of tuberculosis were diagnosed in each region of England in each year since 1997; and of these cases, what proportion in each region were of drug-resistant tuberculosis.

Dawn Primarolo: The number of cases of tuberculosis (TB) by strategic health authority (SHA) are shown in the following table, with data from 1998-2006.
	The Enhanced Tuberculosis Surveillance system (ETS) started in 1999. Prior to this, National TB Surveys were carried out every five years and this provided data for 1998.
	
		
			  Number of tuberculosis case reports by Region, England, 1998-2006 
			   1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			 East Midlands 390 424 418 570 489 475 443 556 579 
			 East of England 244 215 280 328 352 328 395 483 448 
			 London 2,244 2,308 2,641 2,717 2,986 3,049 3,129 3,479 3,362 
			 North East 168 164 158 185 155 147 149 134 144 
			 North West 675 680 638 652 649 592 588 757 698 
			 South East 398 415 454 470 456 588 619 647 699 
			 South West 212 193 225 216 230 205 270 274 287 
			 West Midlands 625 654 734 713 807 810 912 937 941 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 539 486 543 563 514 547 544 579 704 
		
	
	Not all cases of TB are tested for drug susceptibility. The following table shows the number of cases of TB that were tested for drug susceptibility, and the number and proportion of those cases that were resistant to one or more of the first-line drugs used to treat TB, by SHA, with data from 1998-2006.
	The ETS started in 1999. Prior to this, National TB Surveys were carried out every five years and this provided data for 1998.
	
		
			  Number and proportion of tuberculosis cases with drug resistance where drug susceptibility testing was done 
			   1998  1999  2000 
			   Number  Total( 1)  Percentage  Number  Total( 1)  Percentage  Number  Total( 1)  Percentage 
			 East Midlands 9 203 4.4 11 209 5.3 11 201 5.5 
			 East of England 9 134 6.7 <5 112 — 9 135 6.7 
			 London 82 1,212 6.8 97 1,216 8.0 107 1,212 8.8 
			 North East <5 81 — <5 95 — <5 81 — 
			 North West 11 352 1.1 10 321 3.1 17 292 5.8 
			 South East 18 234 7.7 21 262 8.0 16 238 6.7 
			 South West 11 126 8.7 7 119 5.9 5 108 4.6 
			 West Midlands 20 323 6.2 20 309 6.5 19 345 5.5 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 9 293 3.1 5 232 2.2 8 267 3.0 
		
	
	
		
			   2001  2002  2003 
			   Number  Total( 1)  Percentage  Number  Total( 1)  Percentage  Number  Total( 1)  Percentage 
			 East Midlands 19 281 6.8 18 260 6.9 18 266 6.8 
			 East of England 19 171 11.1 16 193 8.3 17 209 8.1 
			 London 132 1333 9.9 165 1653 10.0 191 1737 11.0 
			 North East <5 105 — <5 85 — <5 92 — 
			 North West 14 367 3.8 20 381 5.2 12 298 4.0 
			 South East 10 206 4.9 22 264 8.3 18 328 5.5 
			 South West 9 111 8.1 6 124 4.8 7 123 5.7 
			 West Midlands 21 395 5.3 36 432 8.3 20 435 4.6 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 7 279 2.5 5 277 1.8 18 282 6.4 
		
	
	
		
			   2004  2005  2006 
			   Number  Total( 1)  Percentage  Number  Total( 1)  Percentage  Number  Total( 1)  Percentage 
			 East Midlands 19 257 7.4 15 291 5.2 22 297 7.4 
			 East of England 17 243 7.0 29 289 10.0 19 267 7.1 
			 London 185 1781 10.4 179 1953 9.2 203 1946 10.4 
			 North East <5 90 — 5 92 5.4 5 100 5.0 
			 North West 20 315 6.3 26 395 6.6 18 380 4.7 
			 South East 21 354 5.9 20 387 5.2 27 426 6.3 
			 South West 7 147 4.8 5 158 3.2 8 166 4.8 
			 West Midlands 26 516 5.0 25 506 4.9 21 529 4.0 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 26 31.0 8.4 31 331 9.4 27 390 6.9 
			 (1 )Variations by region and country should be interpreted with caution in view of small numbers  Note: Proportion is calculated among total number of cases with drug susceptibility testing results